Johnson moved to ICU

[Bulletguy]

 

Just announced on 10pm news.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52192604

[John52]

I have sympathy with all those suffering with the virus, especially those who aren't being looked after as well as the Prime Minister.

So the Downing Street Press briefings were a load of Hogwash, and the Russian News Service was closer to the truth when it said he was on a ventilator :-S

More importantly, what happens in a National Emergency when the Government is paralysed because the Prime Minister is incapacitated but refuses to relinquish power :-S

 

[StuartO]

I think it likely that BJ has been working his socks off at the same time as trying to suppress his coronavirus symptoms and that has been a factor in the progress of his illness.  Now that he is in Intensive Care and has handed over his work to others I hope he has the residual strength to overcome this horrible disease.

The Shaddow Health Secretary spoke well on Radio 4 this morning, wishing Boris a quick recovery.  All the comments by politicians have been wishing Boris well and not one of them has stooped to making any sort of remark or inuendo about BJ receiving privileged treatment.

Michael Gove stated very clearly that BJ is not on a ventilator as of this morning although clearly that might change.  Let's all keep our fingers crossed for him.

[John52]

StuartO - 2020-04-07 7:58 AM

 

has handed over his work to others

 

Yesterday night Dominic Raab finally admitted he hadn't spoken to BoJo for 2 days.

The problem is he retains his Prime Ministerial powers, which in Britain are enormous

More than any other major country I can think of except North Korea and Saudi Arabia

[StuartO]

Boris is in intensive care suffering a fever and breathlessness and being given oxygen.  He will be feeling pretty helpless and perhaps even panicky.  We have been told that he spoke to Dominic Rabb from his intensive care bed.  Whether he likes it or not Boris will by now have had to put himself entirely in the hands of the doctors and nurses who are looking after him.  He may soon need artificial ventilation, which will means he needs to be rendered unconscious.  If that happens he might die without ever recovering consciousness and he will be aware of that; he has been deeply immersed in information about coronavirus for quite a while.

There can be little doubt that the First Secretary of State will have been given or will have taken all the necessary powers to keep the Government working.

President Trump is saying that he has sent treatments to UK for Boris, in the wake of new advnces by two US companies.  It remains to be seen whether that offer is taken up.

What  are you trying to prove John52?

[Birdbrain]

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AM

Boris is in intensive care suffering a fever and breathlessness and being given oxygen.  He will be feeling pretty helpless and perhaps even panicky.  We have been told that he spoke to Dominic Rabb from his intensive care bed.  Whether he likes it or not Boris will by now have had to put himself entirely in the hands of the doctors and nurses who are looking after him.  He may soon need artificial ventilation, which will means he needs to be rendered unconscious.  If that happens he might die without ever recovering consciousness and he will be aware of that; he has been deeply immersed in information about coronavirus for quite a while.

There can be little doubt that the First Secretary of State will have been given or will have taken all the necessary powers to keep the Government working.

President Trump is saying that he has sent treatments to UK for Boris, in the wake of new advnces by two US companies.  It remains to be seen whether that offer is taken up.

What  are you trying to prove John52?

I think the decent folk on here will know exactly what hes up to ... Sickening

[John52]

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AMWhat  are you trying to prove John52?

That its difficult for others to take decisions when the incapacitated PM refuses to relinquish power.Oh and the Russian News Service was nearer the truth than the Downing Street Press briefings.Sorry if that wasn't clear enough for you.But I do agree it would have been better for all concerned if he had not become so involved.Then we might have been preparing for the virus like other countries who were snapping up all the supplies back in January and February, and BoJo wasn't taking it seriously enough to practice social distancing.Meanwhile people in the same situation as BoJo are being told not to even call 111 - just lock themselves away at home (if they've got one?) - put a notice in the window and hope one of the volunteers sees it. :-S

[John52]

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AM

 

President Trump is saying that he has sent treatments to UK for Boris, in the wake of new advnces by two US companies. 

From what I have read they don't work, but I'm sure you know better *-)

The normal timescale for a new vaccine is 10 years, and includes essentials like clinical trials that cannot be rushed. Trump is demanding it in time for the November elections *-)

What is certain is that our economy cannot survive lockdown whilst we wait for a vaccine or even reliable test. Because back in January and February whilst other countries were buying up all the supplies, our government was totally asleep at the wheel, not even taking it seriously enough to practice social distancing.

All we are getting is fresh new promises every week, when last weeks promises have been broken.

Bust economy = No NHS, No food, etc etc

So whats the exit strategy *-)

[jumpstart]

John52 - 2020-04-07 10:10 AM

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AMWhat  are you trying to prove John52?

That its difficult for others to take decisions when the incapacitated PM refuses to relinquish power.Oh and the Russian News Service was nearer the truth than the Downing Street Press briefings.Sorry if that wasn't clear enough for you.But I do agree it would have been better for all concerned if he had not become so involved.Then we might have been preparing for the virus like other countries who were snapping up all the supplies back in January and February, and BoJo wasn't taking it seriously enough to practice social distancing.Meanwhile people in the same situation as BoJo are being told not to even call 111 - just lock themselves away at home (if they've got one?) - put a notice in the window and hope one of the volunteers sees it. :-SIf the Russian news service said he was on a ventilator...they were wrong cos he isn’t.

[John52]

jumpstart - 2020-04-07 10:56 AM

John52 - 2020-04-07 10:10 AM

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AMWhat  are you trying to prove John52?

That its difficult for others to take decisions when the incapacitated PM refuses to relinquish power.Oh and the Russian News Service was nearer the truth than the Downing Street Press briefings.Sorry if that wasn't clear enough for you.But I do agree it would have been better for all concerned if he had not become so involved.Then we might have been preparing for the virus like other countries who were snapping up all the supplies back in January and February, and BoJo wasn't taking it seriously enough to practice social distancing.Meanwhile people in the same situation as BoJo are being told not to even call 111 - just lock themselves away at home (if they've got one?) - put a notice in the window and hope one of the volunteers sees it. :-S

If the Russian news service said he was on a ventilator...they were wrong cos he isn’t.-----------Didn't say they were right, just that they were closer to the truth than the Downing Street Press briefings. (But then, who isn't )He has a ventilator (which are in desperate short supply because other countries snapped them up back in January and February whilst our Government was asleep at the wheel - so all we have is a Chris Grayling style ventilator contract with a company that can't make ventilators) but we know he isn't using it because Michael Gove said so *-) Either way he was being given oxygen, which is more than we were told, and is a form of ventilator that could be lost in translation from Russian. :-

[jumpstart]

John52 - 2020-04-07 11:03 AM

jumpstart - 2020-04-07 10:56 AM

John52 - 2020-04-07 10:10 AM

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AMWhat  are you trying to prove John52?

That its difficult for others to take decisions when the incapacitated PM refuses to relinquish power.Oh and the Russian News Service was nearer the truth than the Downing Street Press briefings.Sorry if that wasn't clear enough for you.But I do agree it would have been better for all concerned if he had not become so involved.Then we might have been preparing for the virus like other countries who were snapping up all the supplies back in January and February, and BoJo wasn't taking it seriously enough to practice social distancing.Meanwhile people in the same situation as BoJo are being told not to even call 111 - just lock themselves away at home (if they've got one?) - put a notice in the window and hope one of the volunteers sees it. :-S

If the Russian news service said he was on a ventilator...they were wrong cos he isn’t.

-----------Didn't say they were right, just that they were closer to the truth than the Downing Street Press briefings. (But then, who isn't )He has a ventilator (which are in desperate short supply because other countries snapped them up back in January and February whilst our Government was asleep at the wheel - so all we have is a Chris Grayling style ventilator contract with a company that can't make ventilators) but we know he isn't using it because Michael Gove said so *-) Either way he was being given oxygen, which is more than we were told, and is a form of ventilator that could be lost in translation from Russian. :-We are all on oxygen...that’s near the truth too.

[Bulletguy]

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AM

 

Boris is in intensive care suffering a fever and breathlessness and being given oxygen.

Oxygen outlets are on most hospital wards and he was moved to ICU last night after his condition had worsened.

 

President Trump is saying that he has sent treatments to UK for Boris, in the wake of new advnces by two US companies. It remains to be seen whether that offer is taken up.

Trump said he asked ‘genius’ drug companies to contact London immediately, "they have offices in London, these are major companies, but more than major, more than size, they’re genius."

 

However, Downing Street has said that it does not want to take up Donald Trump’s offer of experimental coronavirus drugs for Boris Johnson. Asked about this, the spokesman said: We are confident that the prime minister is receiving the best possible care from the health service. Any treatment he receives is a matter for his doctors.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/07/uk-coronavirus-live-news-boris-johnson-spends-night-in-intensive-care?page=with:block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1#block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1

 

 

 

 

[jumpstart]

Bulletguy - 2020-04-07 4:09 PM

 

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AM

 

Boris is in intensive care suffering a fever and breathlessness and being given oxygen.

Oxygen outlets are on most hospital wards and he was moved to ICU last night after his condition had worsened.

 

President Trump is saying that he has sent treatments to UK for Boris, in the wake of new advnces by two US companies. It remains to be seen whether that offer is taken up.

Trump said he asked ‘genius’ drug companies to contact London immediately, "they have offices in London, these are major companies, but more than major, more than size, they’re genius."

 

However, Downing Street has said that it does not want to take up Donald Trump’s offer of experimental coronavirus drugs for Boris Johnson. Asked about this, the spokesman said: We are confident that the prime minister is receiving the best possible care from the health service. Any treatment he receives is a matter for his doctors.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/07/uk-coronavirus-live-news-boris-johnson-spends-night-in-intensive-care?page=with:block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1#block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1

 

 

 

 

Trump keeps pushing a Malaria drug.....cos he’s got a financial interest in the company.

[Bulletguy]

jumpstart - 2020-04-07 4:31 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2020-04-07 4:09 PM

 

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AM

 

Boris is in intensive care suffering a fever and breathlessness and being given oxygen.

Oxygen outlets are on most hospital wards and he was moved to ICU last night after his condition had worsened.

 

President Trump is saying that he has sent treatments to UK for Boris, in the wake of new advnces by two US companies. It remains to be seen whether that offer is taken up.

Trump said he asked ‘genius’ drug companies to contact London immediately, "they have offices in London, these are major companies, but more than major, more than size, they’re genius."

 

However, Downing Street has said that it does not want to take up Donald Trump’s offer of experimental coronavirus drugs for Boris Johnson. Asked about this, the spokesman said: We are confident that the prime minister is receiving the best possible care from the health service. Any treatment he receives is a matter for his doctors.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/07/uk-coronavirus-live-news-boris-johnson-spends-night-in-intensive-care?page=with:block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1#block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1

 

Trump keeps pushing a Malaria drug.....cos he’s got a financial interest in the company.

Which even Dr Anthony Fauci, specialist on infectious diseases and a key member of the WH taskforce said there was nothing to suggest the medicine had any benefit against coronavirus.

 

Only last month a man died after taking another of Trumps "cures". The mans wife said, “Trump kept saying it was basically pretty much a cure.” You just cannot ever fix stupid. *-)

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/05/coronavirus-fauci-trump-anti-malaria-drug

[Birdbrain]

Bulletguy - 2020-04-07 5:37 PM

 

jumpstart - 2020-04-07 4:31 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2020-04-07 4:09 PM

 

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AM

 

Boris is in intensive care suffering a fever and breathlessness and being given oxygen.

Oxygen outlets are on most hospital wards and he was moved to ICU last night after his condition had worsened.

 

President Trump is saying that he has sent treatments to UK for Boris, in the wake of new advnces by two US companies. It remains to be seen whether that offer is taken up.

Trump said he asked ‘genius’ drug companies to contact London immediately, "they have offices in London, these are major companies, but more than major, more than size, they’re genius."

 

However, Downing Street has said that it does not want to take up Donald Trump’s offer of experimental coronavirus drugs for Boris Johnson. Asked about this, the spokesman said: We are confident that the prime minister is receiving the best possible care from the health service. Any treatment he receives is a matter for his doctors.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/07/uk-coronavirus-live-news-boris-johnson-spends-night-in-intensive-care?page=with:block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1#block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1

 

Trump keeps pushing a Malaria drug.....cos he’s got a financial interest in the company.

Which even Dr Anthony Fauci, specialist on infectious diseases and a key member of the WH taskforce said there was nothing to suggest the medicine had any benefit against coronavirus.

 

Only last month a man died after taking another of Trumps "cures". The mans wife said, “Trump kept saying it was basically pretty much a cure.” You just cannot ever fix stupid. *-)

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/05/coronavirus-fauci-trump-anti-malaria-drug

 

1 ... Thats 599 less than these Iranians ... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8196535/600-people-died-Iran-drinking-neat-alcohol-cure-coronavirus.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline ... Hate on ... Dont you ever get bored of it

[jumpstart]

Birdbrain - 2020-04-07 6:16 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2020-04-07 5:37 PM

 

jumpstart - 2020-04-07 4:31 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2020-04-07 4:09 PM

 

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AM

 

Boris is in intensive care suffering a fever and breathlessness and being given oxygen.

Oxygen outlets are on most hospital wards and he was moved to ICU last night after his condition had worsened.

 

President Trump is saying that he has sent treatments to UK for Boris, in the wake of new advnces by two US companies. It remains to be seen whether that offer is taken up.

Trump said he asked ‘genius’ drug companies to contact London immediately, "they have offices in London, these are major companies, but more than major, more than size, they’re genius."

 

However, Downing Street has said that it does not want to take up Donald Trump’s offer of experimental coronavirus drugs for Boris Johnson. Asked about this, the spokesman said: We are confident that the prime minister is receiving the best possible care from the health service. Any treatment he receives is a matter for his doctors.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/07/uk-coronavirus-live-news-boris-johnson-spends-night-in-intensive-care?page=with:block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1#block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1

 

Trump keeps pushing a Malaria drug.....cos he’s got a financial interest in the company.

Which even Dr Anthony Fauci, specialist on infectious diseases and a key member of the WH taskforce said there was nothing to suggest the medicine had any benefit against coronavirus.

 

Only last month a man died after taking another of Trumps "cures". The mans wife said, “Trump kept saying it was basically pretty much a cure.” You just cannot ever fix stupid. *-)

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/05/coronavirus-fauci-trump-anti-malaria-drug

 

1 ... Thats 599 less than these Iranians ... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8196535/600-people-died-Iran-drinking-neat-alcohol-cure-coronavirus.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline ... Hate on ... Dont you ever get bored of it

 

No, only of you.

[Birdbrain]

jumpstart - 2020-04-07 7:30 PM

 

Birdbrain - 2020-04-07 6:16 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2020-04-07 5:37 PM

 

jumpstart - 2020-04-07 4:31 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2020-04-07 4:09 PM

 

StuartO - 2020-04-07 8:27 AM

 

Boris is in intensive care suffering a fever and breathlessness and being given oxygen.

Oxygen outlets are on most hospital wards and he was moved to ICU last night after his condition had worsened.

 

President Trump is saying that he has sent treatments to UK for Boris, in the wake of new advnces by two US companies. It remains to be seen whether that offer is taken up.

Trump said he asked ‘genius’ drug companies to contact London immediately, "they have offices in London, these are major companies, but more than major, more than size, they’re genius."

 

However, Downing Street has said that it does not want to take up Donald Trump’s offer of experimental coronavirus drugs for Boris Johnson. Asked about this, the spokesman said: We are confident that the prime minister is receiving the best possible care from the health service. Any treatment he receives is a matter for his doctors.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/07/uk-coronavirus-live-news-boris-johnson-spends-night-in-intensive-care?page=with:block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1#block-5e8c65fb8f085d226cfd45e1

 

Trump keeps pushing a Malaria drug.....cos he’s got a financial interest in the company.

Which even Dr Anthony Fauci, specialist on infectious diseases and a key member of the WH taskforce said there was nothing to suggest the medicine had any benefit against coronavirus.

 

Only last month a man died after taking another of Trumps "cures". The mans wife said, “Trump kept saying it was basically pretty much a cure.” You just cannot ever fix stupid. *-)

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/05/coronavirus-fauci-trump-anti-malaria-drug

 

1 ... Thats 599 less than these Iranians ... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8196535/600-people-died-Iran-drinking-neat-alcohol-cure-coronavirus.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline ... Hate on ... Dont you ever get bored of it

 

No, only of you.

 

So you never get bored of hate , only of me a non-hater ... Thankyou ... Thankyou very much

[John52]

So what happens when decisions have to be taken when an incapacitated PM refuses to relinquish his enormous powers?

Or if he is making decisions when his judgement is clouded by his medical condition?

We just don't know

- We can't refer to the rule book because there isn't one

The Establishment has avoided a written constitution so they can make and change the rules to suit themselves as they go along :-S

I predict that the Governments reaction to the virus will kill more people than the virus.

The failure to act earlier, the Chris Grayling style ventilator contract with a company that can't make ventilators, and purchase of testing kits that don't work, and all the other economic and human costs of the subsequent lockdown will continue to destroy lives for generations to come.

Or as Ronald Reagan said 'The scariest words in the English Language are 'I'm from the Government and I'm here to help' 8-) '

[Birdbrain]

John52 - 2020-04-09 6:50 AM

 

So what happens when decisions have to be taken when an incapacitated PM refuses to relinquish his enormous powers?

Or if he is making decisions when his judgement is clouded by his medical condition?

We just don't know

- We can't refer to the rule book because there isn't one

The Establishment has avoided a written constitution so they can make and change the rules to suit themselves as they go along :-S

I predict that the Governments reaction to the virus will kill more people than the virus.

Or as Ronald Reagan said 'The scariest words in the English Language are 'I'm from the Government and I'm here to help' 8-) '

 

"I predict" ... Thankfully for the rest of the world what you predict just like Barry wont end up as fact ... Great works of fiction , thats all they are ... Regards

[John52]

Birdbrain - 2020-04-09 6:57 AM

 

John52 - 2020-04-09 6:50 AM

 

So what happens when decisions have to be taken when an incapacitated PM refuses to relinquish his enormous powers?

Or if he is making decisions when his judgement is clouded by his medical condition?

We just don't know

- We can't refer to the rule book because there isn't one

The Establishment has avoided a written constitution so they can make and change the rules to suit themselves as they go along :-S

I predict that the Governments reaction to the virus will kill more people than the virus.

Or as Ronald Reagan said 'The scariest words in the English Language are 'I'm from the Government and I'm here to help' 8-) '

 

"I predict" ... Thankfully for the rest of the world what you predict just like Barry wont end up as fact ... Great works of fiction , thats all they are ... Regards

 

Its happening already, which you can see if you look beyond the gutter press.

[Brian Kirby]

Dystopia meets Pangloss? :-D

[Janeunderwood]

You cannot beat the good old Pangloss paradigm.

 

Is your glass half full or half empty or are you simply annoyed that it’s got water in it instead of a nice cold gin and tonic?

 

You see, it turns out that optimism is thought to be a strong psychological factor in Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and EQ is considered to be highly indicative of success in leadership. Martin Seligman (professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania) is quoted as having advised MetLife, suffering at the time a drain of their brightest talents, to hire people on the basis of optimism. Now, MetLife must have hired a lot of optimists because they have become so big and successful that the United States’ Financial Stability Oversight Council recently informed the company that it had reached “Stage 3” in the process to determine whether they would be named a non-bank Systemically Important Financial Institution (SIFI), which means they may be classed as a systemically important financial institution whose failure could pose a threat to the nation’s financial stability. It seems like the good folk at the FSOC are very much “glass half empty” types.

 

I know a lot of optimists. Some of them even have good reason to be optimistic and some of them are optimistic despite having very little about which to be optimistic. They are all people who I would assess to score (with my characteristically unscientific approach) highly on the EQ scale. However, no significant percentage of the optimists I know is an inspirational leader and quite a few are not especially successful on any level. If I look back over my career and think about the various senior managers I’ve worked with and for, I don’t notice any particular propensity to optimism. In fact, in common with most senior managers at C-level, they were too absorbed in the running of the business to show much of anything, excepting frustration.

 

I have also seen my fair share of pessimists, people for whom Sod’s Law was a source of solace rather than a way of pointing out the absurdities of life. Perhaps a little ironically, scientists from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany have discovered in a study (published by the American Psychological Association earlier this year) that older people beset by pessimism and fear for the future are more likely to live a longer, if slightly grumpy, life. Their study of 40,000 adults over ten years, showed that those with low expectations for a “satisfying future” in fact led healthier lives. Conversely (and maybe a little worryingly for employees of MetLife), people who were “overly optimistic” about the days ahead had a greater risk of disability or death within ten years. The lead author of the study was quoted as saying: “Our findings revealed that being overly optimistic in predicting a better future was associated with a greater risk of disability and death within the following decade”.

 

The study might be taken as proof of the correctness of Voltaire’s view of the overly-optimistic as embodied by his character from Candide (sub-titled l’Optimisme), Dr Pangloss. The good doctor spends the first section of the novel indoctrinating Candide in optimism in an idyllic paradise which is subsequently torn apart by sex, intrigue, theft, war and natural disasters. Coming through these shocks, Candide becomes disillusioned despite the insistence of Pangloss that everything turned out for the best by necessity. He instead comes to believe that we must “cultivate our garden”. That is (in one reading), we might seek to improve the world through active industrious contribution to it. This philosophy need not necessarily preclude optimism however. My own, personal attempts at non-metaphorical gardening might best be described as a triumph of hope over experience but I retain a quiet sense of optimism that, whilst my lawn will never come to resemble the hallowed sward of the All England Club at Wimbledon we will have a garden full of life and that does play some part, however small, in helping the local bee population thrive.

 

It is blind optimism that Voltaire satirises in Candide and satire is often the over-used tool of the pessimist, although Voltaire was himself a keen gardener. People however are rarely polarised in extremis one way or the other. Work and workplaces are human constructs and people are the most common cause of frustrations in the world of work. Those arcane and overly-complex procedures and policies that are the bane of your business? A person or group of persons thought those were a good idea and devoted time, energy and money to implementing them. They weren’t a result of some technological automaton, however much computers might play a role in their continuing existence. Otherwise sensible people end up dropping their trousers on the dancefloor at the staff party after one too many drinks from the free bar. They make thoughtless comments about people’s physical appearance or dress sense. They offend, upset and insult unwittingly. They also do so with deliberation. They leave the printer empty of paper, make a mess, interrupt, shout, book meeting rooms and never turn up. They are late to meetings that they have no proper agenda for. They ignore your ideas. They ask for your opinion then forget or ignore it. They preach engagement but conduct a survey instead.

 

People are messy, complicated, contradictory, contrary and confusing and they create workplaces and working practices in their own image. Being cheerfully optimistic on its own won’t change a thing but retaining a sense of optimism alongside a pragmatic and practical attitude to change and working actively and industriously towards creating better workplaces can be infectious. Catching it is no inoculation and people won’t always thank you if they get it from you. But they’ll feel better for it.

 

In work, life rarely gives you lemons. But people will. So forget lemonade. Next time someone gives you a lemon cut a couple of decent wedges and drop them into glasses half filled with ice, add a measure of quality gin and a generous splash of tonic. Then sit down with that person and have an open and honest conversation.

 

[Birdbrain]

John52 - 2020-04-09 7:03 AM

 

Birdbrain - 2020-04-09 6:57 AM

 

John52 - 2020-04-09 6:50 AM

 

So what happens when decisions have to be taken when an incapacitated PM refuses to relinquish his enormous powers?

Or if he is making decisions when his judgement is clouded by his medical condition?

We just don't know

- We can't refer to the rule book because there isn't one

The Establishment has avoided a written constitution so they can make and change the rules to suit themselves as they go along :-S

I predict that the Governments reaction to the virus will kill more people than the virus.

Or as Ronald Reagan said 'The scariest words in the English Language are 'I'm from the Government and I'm here to help' 8-) '

 

"I predict" ... Thankfully for the rest of the world what you predict just like Barry wont end up as fact ... Great works of fiction , thats all they are ... Regards

 

Its happening already, which you can see if you look beyond the gutter press.

 

So your predicting something that according to you is already happening ... Go figure

[jumpstart]

Janeunderwood - 2020-04-09 9:05 AM

 

You cannot beat the good old Pangloss paradigm.

 

Is your glass half full or half empty or are you simply annoyed that it’s got water in it instead of a nice cold gin and tonic?

 

You see, it turns out that optimism is thought to be a strong psychological factor in Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and EQ is considered to be highly indicative of success in leadership. Martin Seligman (professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania) is quoted as having advised MetLife, suffering at the time a drain of their brightest talents, to hire people on the basis of optimism. Now, MetLife must have hired a lot of optimists because they have become so big and successful that the United States’ Financial Stability Oversight Council recently informed the company that it had reached “Stage 3” in the process to determine whether they would be named a non-bank Systemically Important Financial Institution (SIFI), which means they may be classed as a systemically important financial institution whose failure could pose a threat to the nation’s financial stability. It seems like the good folk at the FSOC are very much “glass half empty” types.

 

I know a lot of optimists. Some of them even have good reason to be optimistic and some of them are optimistic despite having very little about which to be optimistic. They are all people who I would assess to score (with my characteristically unscientific approach) highly on the EQ scale. However, no significant percentage of the optimists I know is an inspirational leader and quite a few are not especially successful on any level. If I look back over my career and think about the various senior managers I’ve worked with and for, I don’t notice any particular propensity to optimism. In fact, in common with most senior managers at C-level, they were too absorbed in the running of the business to show much of anything, excepting frustration.

 

I have also seen my fair share of pessimists, people for whom Sod’s Law was a source of solace rather than a way of pointing out the absurdities of life. Perhaps a little ironically, scientists from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany have discovered in a study (published by the American Psychological Association earlier this year) that older people beset by pessimism and fear for the future are more likely to live a longer, if slightly grumpy, life. Their study of 40,000 adults over ten years, showed that those with low expectations for a “satisfying future” in fact led healthier lives. Conversely (and maybe a little worryingly for employees of MetLife), people who were “overly optimistic” about the days ahead had a greater risk of disability or death within ten years. The lead author of the study was quoted as saying: “Our findings revealed that being overly optimistic in predicting a better future was associated with a greater risk of disability and death within the following decade”.

 

The study might be taken as proof of the correctness of Voltaire’s view of the overly-optimistic as embodied by his character from Candide (sub-titled l’Optimisme), Dr Pangloss. The good doctor spends the first section of the novel indoctrinating Candide in optimism in an idyllic paradise which is subsequently torn apart by sex, intrigue, theft, war and natural disasters. Coming through these shocks, Candide becomes disillusioned despite the insistence of Pangloss that everything turned out for the best by necessity. He instead comes to believe that we must “cultivate our garden”. That is (in one reading), we might seek to improve the world through active industrious contribution to it. This philosophy need not necessarily preclude optimism however. My own, personal attempts at non-metaphorical gardening might best be described as a triumph of hope over experience but I retain a quiet sense of optimism that, whilst my lawn will never come to resemble the hallowed sward of the All England Club at Wimbledon we will have a garden full of life and that does play some part, however small, in helping the local bee population thrive.

 

It is blind optimism that Voltaire satirises in Candide and satire is often the over-used tool of the pessimist, although Voltaire was himself a keen gardener. People however are rarely polarised in extremis one way or the other. Work and workplaces are human constructs and people are the most common cause of frustrations in the world of work. Those arcane and overly-complex procedures and policies that are the bane of your business? A person or group of persons thought those were a good idea and devoted time, energy and money to implementing them. They weren’t a result of some technological automaton, however much computers might play a role in their continuing existence. Otherwise sensible people end up dropping their trousers on the dancefloor at the staff party after one too many drinks from the free bar. They make thoughtless comments about people’s physical appearance or dress sense. They offend, upset and insult unwittingly. They also do so with deliberation. They leave the printer empty of paper, make a mess, interrupt, shout, book meeting rooms and never turn up. They are late to meetings that they have no proper agenda for. They ignore your ideas. They ask for your opinion then forget or ignore it. They preach engagement but conduct a survey instead.

 

People are messy, complicated, contradictory, contrary and confusing and they create workplaces and working practices in their own image. Being cheerfully optimistic on its own won’t change a thing but retaining a sense of optimism alongside a pragmatic and practical attitude to change and working actively and industriously towards creating better workplaces can be infectious. Catching it is no inoculation and people won’t always thank you if they get it from you. But they’ll feel better for it.

 

In work, life rarely gives you lemons. But people will. So forget lemonade. Next time someone gives you a lemon cut a couple of decent wedges and drop them into glasses half filled with ice, add a measure of quality gin and a generous splash of tonic. Then sit down with that person and have an open and honest conversation.

 

 

As some General said ....Hope for the best - plan for the worst.

By the way..not wedges just a slice of the peel for the zest.

[StuartO]

It's only the journalists who are pressing for clarity about hypothetical issues of who currently holds the PM's personal authority because he's in Intensive Care; the politicians and the senior civil servants seem to be quite content that they have an arrangement which will allow the Government to continue functioning so I see no reason to be concerned.

There will presumably be journalists, not only of left leaning, who don't like Boris and who would perhaps even wish him ill if they could get away with it.  The case yesterday of a Labour Mayor in Derbyshire who openly expressed her satisfaction that Boris was ill will have shown them that they cannot; she was promptly disowned by the Labour Party and quite right too.

It seems to me that Boris's illness has, if anything, boosted his popularity and certainly plenty of folk are grateful that he has, perfectly obviously, been working his socks off and has perhaps paid the price.  Thank good ness he is reported to be improving; I do hope he has the sense to take enough time to recover properly, even if he doesn't trust his colleagues enough to make them his deputy in any formal way.