Off Topic Now that the dust may be settling............

I thought I'd pop back in and give my two pennyworth after deciding to take a break from, what has become a cesspit of a board.
After a combination of one too many lies (this last one from Stroller) and some difficult personal issues, I decided to get the hell out of dodge.

Now I fancy getting a few things off my chest.

Firstly - Covid 19.....

There have undoubtedly been mistakes made. However, I've heard so many eminent health professionals and scientists taking almost the opposite view on most of the issues that I find it impossible to ascertain who is right. Of course, some on here know, as they're so much brighter than everyone else (more on that later).
It was clearly a mistake to clear the hospitals of the old and vulnerable and moving them into unprotected care homes. Who advised this? Not sure.
It was definitely done because of a manic fear that the NHS would become over run. I get that, but I'm not convinced that this would have happened as the vast, vast majority of those that have died had underlying medical conditions or were over 75. I'm not saying that we should have ignored these people at all, but I think we should have made every effort to protect as many of the vulnerable as possible, whilst not completely closing down the economy and the rest of the NHS. Various cancer experts have opined that we will see a terrible increase in cancer deaths due to late diagnosis etc etc.
Again, PPE seems to have been a major issue, but then it has been throughout most of the world. The government should have had more stocks, but with the NHS costing so much already, they probably would have been criticised for stockpiling vast amounts of PPE had they sat unused for a few more years.
Tough decisions these, but of course, some on here would have got everything right. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
I find comparisons with the record of other countries both misleading and inaccurate. How can we compare ourselves the New Zealand when they have a tiny population in comparison that is spread out?
Spain doesn't count deaths in care homes and Germany only counts care home fatalities when Covid 19 has been diagnosed before death. China has lied throughout and we'll never know their statistics.
We have over 66 million crammed into our over crowded islands, 6 million more than Italy. London is almost a global Country in its own right and a perfect breeding ground for the virus.
Proff Hugh Pennington, a bacteriologist at Aberdeen University thinks we can't compare ourselves fairly with many other countries. He explains that we include all deaths in care homes and hospitals where Covid 19 is suspected, EVEN IF THERE IS NO POSITIVE TEST! We are recording coronavirus as the cause of death, even if a test has not been done. Some EU countries only count deaths where Covid is confirmed. Our daily figures include anyone showing symptoms who died. They could have been hit by a bus, but they are recorded as another coronavirus death. These figures are clearly ridiculously misleading and inaccurate.A patient with terminal cancer would still be added to the covid totals if they died with symptoms. Crazy!!
The proff does state that our main mistake was not to ramp up testing in March.
There have been numerous other "experts" who say similar things. Others, the opposite.

Clear mistakes imo were leaving the airports open, we relied on shoddy equipment from places like Turkey and, ironically, China, which couldn't be used and Sadiiq Khan, that useless waste of space, cut tube trains leaving essential workers to cram into the ones that were running. Testing was, for too long, pathetically slow, mainly due to ridiculous red tape etc. I also think that the government have actually listened too much to supposed experts and have been strangled by a fear of getting things politically incorrect.
Proff Neil Fergurson, a key advisor, predicted a ridiculous 500,000 deaths which petrified everyone. Of course, his past record in predicting these things, like Sars and Mad Cow disease is pathetically awful and yet he was listened to. Of course, many on here would have got it all right.

For me, this government has been caught out in a lot of ways due to their lack of experience. It is a very diverse, but terribly inexperienced government and they have faced the worst crisis since WW2. Boris's lack of attention to detail has left him exposed, but I also think that his brush with death has left him far less effective than he otherwise would have been. He's a good cheerleader and would have injected optimism. Instead, he is floundering and I don't think he'll be the Tory leader for long. Good. I have never been a fan.

Lockdown looks like being a huge mistake, leading to many more deaths and suffering in the long term.
No doubt those saying we should have locked down sooner will criticise the government for locking down at all in the end.
The editor of The Lancet, criticised our government (politically motivated without a doubt) for locking down too late and has even written a book about it. At the beginning of March the same guy was warning of an over reaction by governments and the media to what he viewed as a quite benign virus. Hindsight eh?

Would any other government have fared better here? Possibly, but I doubt it.

Now, this board....

I left because Stroller, not for the first time lied about me in order to win the argument. He said I ALWAYS back the government and won't have them criticised. Clear bollox, but hey. Why let the truth get in the way eh? A small thing, but the last straw when this place had become so ****.
Too many poster write something clearly as a wind up, aimed at others. It's like ****ing 6 year olds in a playground and the mods have done very little to stop it.
This board has become like other areas of social media, a left wing talking shop and political point scoring is everywhere. Brexit has played a part in all this, with Tory and Boris haters getting their revenge for the referendum result. This is clear from all those who constantly rubbish everything the government do.
The board has also become a nasty, immature place. Obviously the man-child Watford is the most immature and it's nice to see that one or two others have cottoned on to just the kind of bloke he is.

However, it's two of our most intelligent posters that have really stepped up....Stan and Beth, our very own Piers Morgan and Susanah Read.
My God, every post from Susanah (Beth) seems to start with "what worries me", "the worrying thing is" etc etc. Constantly slating Boris and the government in a downward spiral of depression. Piers (Stan), too, is equally depressing. Over the weeks posting more and more doom and gloom, whilst explaining how he knows so much more than leading scientists etc and how he can draw a flow chart so much more efficiently.
Guys....jeez!! (I like them both by the way )
Both are constantly downplaying the clear evidence that the virus is receding, predicting a second wave
whilst dismissing any good news. This is what the media, especially Piers and Susanah have been doing too.
They may be right about everything, but I doubt it. Susanah (Beth) and Piers (Stan) both played down the seriousness of this virus at the start of this thread and now say we've handled everything wrong and cost countless lives. Hindsight eh?

There may be a second wave, mainly due to thousands of idiots deciding to go on protest marches just as things were improving.
This has been politically motivated imo, out of a hatred of Brexit. Tories and Boris. Confirmation bias abounds.
However, it's the nasty, intolerant, almost bullying behaviour by some that has reduced this board to the **** hole it's become. Staines to his credit realised what was happening, but most others just carry on lying, insulting and ganging up on others from the safety of their keyboards.

WUMS outnumber genuine posters imo.

Oh and as yesterday has shown, the football is still pretty crap too.

 

Sorry you feel that way Col. I know I am not the most regular poster on here, but part of that is that I will make the odd comment on off-topic threads (more the last few months due to there being no football), but mainly I come on here to discuss football. If others want to use the board for squabbling about political/social/economic affairs that is their right, as it is also my right to ignore them and get back to the footie.

I'd also say that a combination of lockdown being incredibly boring for all, and our common denominator (QPR) not producing the most exciting stuff this year, has probably meant the last few months haven't been the most interesting...but that also means it isn't the best time to be making rash decisions. I'd hang around a while, ignore the nonsense and hope a time will come when football chats far out number off-topic discussions.

Edit : just had a look at the homepage, and including this thread, 8 of the first 10 threads are marked as 'off-topic'. Hope that will change when we have football to discuss again.

 

Like the football I've returned after a few months away

Not606 is the only social media platform I'm on (never had Facebook, Twitter etc) and I'm on it predominantly because of the shared common interest that is QPR. Once the football stopped so largely did my interest in the site. I generally avoid social media because it is inhabited by too many keyboard warriors who have nothing positive to say about anything or anyone

The country seems to be inhabited by an increasing number of intolerant, "your opinion doesn't count" types and it is becoming very tedious. Brexit, CV19 and BLM have driven us further apart as a nation

I'm a glass half full guy ordinarily but even my patience is being severely tested

Just be nice everyone

 

Such bitterness and spite. I would like to ignore this, but since I'm named more than once, I feel I can't. Perhaps you can remind me of where I 'Iied'. If I said that you always back the government (I don't recall this), it was in relation to the Covid-19 crisis, where you were constantly complaining about anybody who dared criticise the government. Get over it, Col.

 

****ing hell Col, if you think it’s bad on here, get yourself on Twitter

I just stick to my views, try and sometimes fail, to argue the case for my beliefs and just be true to myself.

Considered myself an anarchist until I’ve recently realised true Anarchism can never work due to human beings acting like ****s and ****ing the whole system up (see CHAZ)....Hated the po-po for years until I actually saw the **** they put up with and the things they do and drastically changed my view (ok the lad joining helped as well).
A Left winger who believes passionately in Brexit as a way of stopping us as a country contributing vast amounts of cash into the pension funds of rich old blokes who will never be able to spend it all

I’m a bit of an anomaly and see this board as a bit of light entertainment.......Helps get through the boredom, even though I should be swatting up on ECGs.

 

if it wasn't for this place I would have to find some work to do during work hours

some people do take this place and themselves far too seriously

 

To be fair, I think we’ve all done it at various times

 

Thanks Col.
I have admitted here and everywhere else I was initially very wrong about the ferocity of the virus. I thought it was infectious but not a killer.

I had no idea about the non respiratory effects of the virus...the cytokine storm, the increased stickiness of blood, resulting in strokes. The attack on the kidneys. I was wrong at the start...but by March I was on a different track...it is a pity that Boris was not

I learnt quick, the government didn't..


So I apologize....but as you said the government has made huge mistakes and u-turns....They have been very immature about this pandemic. They have not admitted their mistakes...that is all I asked to admit mistakes and learn from them

We cannot say what anyone else would have done ... because we do not know. I have no idea if anyone else would have done better. And what ever you may think of me ...to me this is not about Brexit...but about the integrity of science, which has been undermined

But I just wish someone in authority would admit to making mistakes... because they won't. SAGE advice was not taken. One day we will meet you Col and I will fully explain that statement

And you are right about yesterday and the football. It was ****.

 

Thought this was going to be about Warburton’s substitutions but got bored by the second line.

 

Have to agree that the Coronavirus and Politics threads have become tedious, too many yah-boo type posts. Good to have seen Stainesy mix it up a bit with some thoughtful insights and provocative posts. I think the majority of Col's summary is fairly accurate but it won't change the entrenched opinions on here which is why the threads are running out of steam. I've posted far less in recent weeks as it's the same old same old even on the pitch...

 

Well that was some rant.....

What I will say is that us mods that you refer to have always said that we will not moderate the politics thread and by default the coronavirus thread as that has simply become another politics thread due to views of posters........ we're here to moderate a football forum nothing else......you post on the politics thread and coronavirus thread at your own risk.....

 

I’m blushing here.....

 

have some cake

 

I'll speak for myself when I say that I can be as argumentative as anybody on here, especially when somebody is really annoying me as happened a few weeks ago. After I said what I wanted to say, I stayed away from the board for about 10 days which helped me calm down.

The Politics thread started discussing Brexit about a year before the actual referendum. I think it was good to see what people felt about the subject. I also think certain posters highjacked that thread at the time and even after the vote and posted what I personally felt at the time were some extreme right wing views. At times, I got in and argued points against these people but the vast majority of the time, I ignored them and still do. Now, people feel that the opposite is happening and the board has hit rock bottom because people are criticising the performance of the UK government during coronavirus. I think the criticisms are 100% valid as the death rates in the UK are extremely high no matter how the deaths are counted in other similar sized countries. I also think that things over there have improved considerably and as they do, hopefully the divisions between posters will ease a bit. The football returning will also help.

Welcome back Col. You have been missed. The best advice I would give you is to ignore 98% of what is posted and you should start enjoying the board again.

 

There was some frankly hideous xenophobia which I don’t mind reading as long as those posting it are happy to have it challenged and/or mocked rather than crying victim because people dare to call it out.

 

You need to get out more....

 

I had a lovely time canoeing in Henley this afternoon.

 

The beauty of the middle class.....

 

It was painfully idyllic.

 

Col, please tell that was not a swansong?

I post mostly about the footie and avoid confrontation over unrelated issues unless I'm incredibly stirred up by one issue or another.

I very much enjoy your footie views and reports, along side those with contrary views, and hope to hear more of them in the future.

Keep well and safe.