Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Sheilbh]

Now we're nationalising them at a cost of £2.5 billion plus £500 million worth of investment.

The stories I am seeing say £2.6 million and "up to" £400 million investment over 10 years.

Oh! - my bad But I stand by my pennywise/pound foolish view on Cameron and Osborne

It's basically the same gameplan than what the NGOs operating in the Mediterranean saving drowning inmigrants have been enduring for the last few years. They were one of Salvini's favourite targets when he was in government.

Yeah - although I think it's slightly different because the RNLI aren't going out to specifically save migrant boats. They go out and save anyone or any boat in distress - so fishing boats, pleasure boats, basically anyone in trouble at sea around the UK.

Sadly I think attacking a group that was going out looking for migrant boats in trouble might have some traction - but not going after a group who's sole purpose is to help people at sea.

[crazy canuck]

It has not escaped the attention of the press in Canada that the bright bulbs in the UK have determined the US is less of a risk than Canada.

Same risk - you're both Amber List.

This is about recognising covid vaccine certificates/apps so people who can prove they've been double-vaxxed don't have to quarantine. From a quick search Canada hasn't launched their covid travel certificate scheme yet - but I might be wrong that was just a quick search. And I have concerns about the US just being forgeable cards rather than digital.

Edit: Totally separate but the MoD is nationalising Sheffield Forgemasters who are highly specialised steel castings manufacturer that mainly works in the nuclear industry and provides essential products for both the UK civil and military nuclear sector. This is a good thing and the rationale of protecting the supply chain for national security makes a lot of sense.

But I would note that one of the first decisions of the Coalition was to cancel a state-backed loan of £80 million for the company in 2010 and since then they've been sort of running from re-financing to re-financing. Now we're nationalising them at a cost of £2.5 billion plus £500 million worth of investment. I'd say this is a pretty big failure of any sort of strategic thinking or planning by government (and I can't think of a better summary of Cameron and Osborne's time than saving £80 million but having to spend £3 billion for the same thing just a few years later ).

In BC we have an app for that.  Each province will be different, so maybe that was the reason.

But really Canada and the US are judged the same risk - by what metric I wonder?

[The Larch]

It's basically the same gameplan than what the NGOs operating in the Mediterranean saving drowning inmigrants have been enduring for the last few years. They were one of Salvini's favourite targets when he was in government.

Yeah - although I think it's slightly different because the RNLI aren't going out to specifically save migrant boats. They go out and save anyone or any boat in distress - so fishing boats, pleasure boats, basically anyone in trouble at sea around the UK.

Sadly I think attacking a group that was going out looking for migrant boats in trouble might have some traction - but not going after a group who's sole purpose is to help people at sea.

At that moment even the Italian Coast Guard, another institution that would normally be irreproachable, was caught under fire, with internal fights in the Italian government because of that, with Salvini forbidding their vessels with rescued migrants to enter Italian ports.

[Sheilbh]

But really Canada and the US are judged the same risk - by what metric I wonder?

I mean there are pretty broad categories: Red, Amber, Green and France.

I think the vast majority of countries are on the amber list - apparently the criteria are "a country's vaccination rates, infection rates, the prevalence of variants of concern and its genomic sequencing capacity". I imagine Canada is far closer to the green end of the list than the US given higher vaccination rates, lower infection rates - not sure about variants or sequencing.

At that moment even the Italian Coast Guard, another institution that would normally be irreproachable, was caught under fire, with internal fights in the Italian government because of that, with Salvini forbidding their vessels with rescued migrants to enter Italian ports.

Ugh - I think I remember that now

[Jacob]

In BC we have an app for that.  Each province will be different, so maybe that was the reason.

We have an app for that? Which app?

[crazy canuck]

In BC we have an app for that.  Each province will be different, so maybe that was the reason.

We have an app for that? Which app?

https://www.healthgateway.gov.bc.ca/

[Jacob]

Thanks! Didn't know we had that....

[Legbiter]

According to this study the UK would do rather well if there was a global "de-complexification" event.

Human civilisation has undergone a continuous trajectory of rising sociopolitical complexity since its inception; a trend which has undergone a dramatic recent acceleration. This phenomenon has resulted in increasingly severe perturbation of the Earth System, manifesting recently as global-scale effects such as climate change. These effects create an increased risk of a global 'de-complexification' (collapse) event in which complexity could undergo widespread reversal. 'Nodes of persisting complexity' are geographical locations which may experience lesser effects from 'de-complexification' due to having 'favourable starting conditions' that may allow the retention of a degree of complexity. A shortlist of nations (New Zealand, Iceland, the United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland) were identified and qualitatively analysed in detail to ascertain their potential to form 'nodes of persisting complexity' (New Zealand is identified as having the greatest potential). The analysis outputs are applied to identify insights for enhancing resilience to 'de-complexification'.

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/15/8161/htm

[The Brain]

Ah yes, the complexity of riding small horses and eating rotten shark.

[Legbiter]

The zombie hordes could cross by foot from Finland to Sweden. Gotland should do well.

[Grey Fox]

But really Canada and the US are judged the same risk - by what metric I wonder?

I mean there are pretty broad categories: Red, Amber, Green and France.

I think the vast majority of countries are on the amber list - apparently the criteria are "a country's vaccination rates, infection rates, the prevalence of variants of concern and its genomic sequencing capacity". I imagine Canada is far closer to the green end of the list than the US given higher vaccination rates, lower infection rates - not sure about variants or sequencing.

At that moment even the Italian Coast Guard, another institution that would normally be irreproachable, was caught under fire, with internal fights in the Italian government because of that, with Salvini forbidding their vessels with rescued migrants to enter Italian ports.

Ugh - I think I remember that now

It's the Quarantine requirements. England and Scotland is keeping it for Canadians while Americans won't have to do it anymore.

Canada's vaccination share is higher than the UK.

[Sheilbh]

Only for Americans who are double-vaxxed with a certificate though. Americans without a vaccine certificate will still have to quarantine.

[The Brain]

The zombie hordes could cross by foot from Finland to Sweden. Gotland should do well.

Gotlanders have yet to master human language though.

[Legbiter]

 

[Sheilbh]

On the RNLI kerfuffle - they've put out what I think is quite an affecting video on their work:
https://twitter.com/RNLI/status/1420319266746871834?s=20

I think Johnson/Downing Street have very sensibly not stepped into this just noting that the RNLI does vital work. Sajid Javid's also done a post about just making a donation to them and linking to their donations page - which I imagine will be doing very well right now.

No doubt the Farage/Grimes-ist geniuses will now move onto attacking other universally popular institutions like the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home or the WI

Incidentally I did see someone point out that even after Salvini went in on the Italian coastguard/navy over rescuing migrant boats, Italian fishermen were still rescuing people - because I think it is just a thing for maritime-y/coastal communities. They know how dangerous the sea is and if there's someone in danger and they can help, they will. It's like rites of hospitality in desert cultures or something like that.