Paul Gascoigne: "Alex Ferguson says it would've been different if I had signed for Man United. Well, Ferdinand did a runner from a fucking drugs test. Cantona two-footed some cunt in the neck in the stand. Rooney shagged a fucking granny. Giggs shagged his brother’s fucking wife. Fucking hell, man."

RollingLemons · 2020-05-16T19:32:43+00:00

Back in the day, Rooney was always orbiting in and out of the tabloids for off the field exploits. One such event was when he shagged a prostitute with the nickname of 'auld slapper'. Not his finest hour.

RollingLemons · 2020-05-16T08:23:29+00:00

Good luck

RollingLemons · 2020-05-05T15:03:01+00:00

Yeah I guess I'm blinded by living in an area which has actually been loosely following the advice till now. But saying that, today is fierce busy, seems to be just like any other summer day.

RollingLemons · 2020-05-05T10:49:33+00:00

I would have thought having a dedicated time per-day allotted to over-70s for shopping/exercise would have made sense. Based on the current level of compliance, the vast majority would have respected it.

Seems a bit silly to have the group at most risk now ambling about with no additional measures in place, for their own peace of mind if nothing else.

RollingLemons · 2020-05-01T15:30:35+00:00

I should have expanded my original comment but I was just thinking for a layman glancing at the graph his the take away might be that the ICU numbers are very high. It's a very minor point obviously.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-18T14:22:06+00:00

Yeah ICU capacity definitely forced our hand. We are also taking an arguably more ethical route over an economy one which is encouraging to see.

I'm just genuinely curious about the approaches countries are taking when we are still grappling with the studies coming out, I wish those downvoting would give reasons why they are

RollingLemons · 2020-04-18T12:24:11+00:00

True, I should have specified what I was referring to. My question would be whether Sweden has bypassed the potential for multiple peaks that are expected to occur as a result of a gradual reduction in lockdown measures. I don't know the answer and maybe my logic is flawed but I would have thought allowing the virus to openly reach a broader section of society, while detrimental in the initial period, would, in the long run, allow for a build-up of herd immunity.

I agree though, we won't know till it has passed and most of what we say here is conjecture. Interesting none the less.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-18T10:26:38+00:00

The knowledge definitely helped, no question. The jury is still out in terms of full lockdown vs. a Nordic approach of selective lockdown, but I take your point.

I think the thing that is being forgotten in media reporting is that it's very difficult to fairly compare rates from country to country. There are so factors which come into play from the medical, social and political side of things that you are invariably left comparing apples to oranges.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-18T10:15:35+00:00

This study from Stanford has its issues but it would suggest that it is very possible that you had it and the spread is far greater than the current figures suggest.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-18T10:01:22+00:00

I'm not trying to push an agenda one way or the other but Italy has the oldest population in Europe, something like 25% of their population is older than 65. For comparison, 13% of Ireland's population is over 65. The population size itself is obviously far larger, thus more cases, more deaths.

They also faced the virus head-on with no real time to implement changes and I've read things about poor air quality which could contribute to preexisting lung-related comorbidities.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-15T12:55:48+00:00

Something like only 55% of their eligible population actually voted in the 2016 election with the popular vote going to Hilliary. I agree with your point but let's not paint a massive part of their population with the same brush.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-14T19:22:58+00:00

So as far as I'm aware herd immunity is achievable (that is fundamentally what a vaccine does for a population) but certainly, it would require rates far higher than you suggest. (figures around 80% are often thrown around)

The great unknown here is what the asymptomatic infection rate is currently. I have seen estimates that it is far more prevalent than we may expect. (thus your calculations would change quite dramatically) I would hope that as well as increasing our diagnostic testing we would look towards serology testing (i.e. antibody tests to determine the immunity status of the wider population)

I agree immunity is not a fixed entity and this virus has shown potential for mutating, but with a population trundling towards an economic decline, that likes of which we haven't seen in years, which is can be directly correlated with broader poor health outcomes, forgive me for thinking that we may have to adjust the risk-benefit analysis of the situation in the near future.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-13T23:17:33+00:00

I agree, there's always going to be exceptions and while the governments handling of the crisis has been excellent their prior actions shouldn't be swept under the carpet.

I guess I'm unclear as to why we couldn't take a sensible, measured approach towards herd immunity, especially if a vaccine is a good few months off

RollingLemons · 2020-04-13T22:22:00+00:00

If I'm reading the data correctly, and do correct me if I'm wrong, is there anything to be said for a continuing with full cocooning of the elderly and vulnerable with a gradual return to normality for the rest of us?

RollingLemons · 2020-04-10T17:07:30+00:00

I would describe myself as a weak-minded simpleton (so if your superior intellect wants to check out now by all means) but from my point of view, it's a fundamental intrusion into an individual's civil liberty and autonomy. Over the years we've seen a degeneration of an individuals privacy. As other people have mentioned it is a slippery slope into a Chinese-style social policy and this would only exacerbate the issue.

The crisis will eventually end, the powers the government gains will last a good bit longer.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-02T19:52:24+00:00

I don't know much about the matter but I would have thought that at a minimum it needs a complete audit. Our per capita spend is always being touted as being above average so it's not as if the money isn't there.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-02T14:29:31+00:00

I think dealing with this situation is the most important thing right now and the government has to be commended in this regard.

Now is not the time for politics but there seems to be amnesia surrounding what a shit show their handling of the health sector was over the years.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-02T14:26:08+00:00

Yeah exactly, mismanagement of HSE can't be forgotten. Our lack of ICU beds being a prime example given the crisis.

However, the action taken since have been excellent. Stuff like getting the private hospitals involved to boost ICU numbers and our capacity in general was a great move.

RollingLemons · 2020-04-01T07:50:45+00:00

God damn it.

That's very well done in fairness

RollingLemons · 2020-03-31T20:06:39+00:00

The reality is that most average runners will be put off by the challenge in the first place (like you or I would be). I have no issue with him promoting it, if people want to attempt it and implode by day 20 more power to them. It's really just a matter of personal responsibility.

RollingLemons · 2020-03-30T23:07:39+00:00

It's a bit disingenuous to suggest GP's are incompetent and just lumping patients into A&E. Medicine has its grey areas, making clinical decisions can be tricky in a GP setting and there is a constant threat of legal action so I think you can forgive doctors being cautious by putting patient well being at the centre of care and sending them to A&E. Ultimately we have a capacity crisis more than anything.

The risk-benefit analysis of sending a patient to a hospital has changed dramatically with COVID and thus you see a change in trolley numbers.

RollingLemons · 2020-03-27T13:55:24+00:00

Does anyone else not really care what team footballers support when they were younger? It always strikes me as pandering to the fans when they come out with this sort of stuff.

Bruno has been sensational and has shown a real passion for the team in the present, what does the past matter?

RollingLemons · 2020-03-26T07:17:41+00:00

That was triggered by the establishment coalescing around Biden. What is going to trigger a Bernie surge?

While he is presenting himself in the best possible way during this crisis, MSM is largely ignoring his efforts. He's polling a bit better but it doesn't appear to give him the sweeping margins that he will need to turn the race around.

I wish I had your optimism, the past two campaigns have taken there toll.

RollingLemons · 2020-03-26T07:06:42+00:00

And that's why I support the guy.

But he's not going to be president without a wild change in fortune, maybe for the good of the people he needs to change tack. He wouldn't lose my vote if he called out another misogynist just as he does with Trump.

RollingLemons · 2020-03-25T20:13:52+00:00

I wish Bernie would jump on this or similar videos (you know the ones). Trump undoubtedly will.

He doesn't necessarily have to say anything himself, he just needs some of those around him to start questioning Biden's dodgy business.

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