English Chess Forum

Paignton 2022 has officially been cancelled but is expected to return in 2023, according to an email from Tim Paulden. Reasons include British being at Torquay.

Tim Spanton wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:08 pm

Paignton 2022 has officially been cancelled but is expected to return in 2023, according to an email from Tim Paulden. Reasons include British being at Torquay.

That's a shame. Might be worth you posting it in the Events Cancellations category.
Don't worry Tim, I have found plenty of events to post from around the country, including some exciting new ones.

Simon Rogers wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 3:14 pm

Tim Spanton wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:08 pm

Paignton 2022 has officially been cancelled but is expected to return in 2023, according to an email from Tim Paulden. Reasons include British being at Torquay.

That's a shame. Might be worth you posting it in the Events Cancellations category.
Don't worry Tim, I have found plenty of events to post from around the country, including some exciting new ones.

I'm fairly sure Paignton will return with possibly record numbers next year, especially if the British gets a geographically quite-different venue.
I guess it goes to show we are not yet fully over the effects of the pandemic, even if the effects, like the number of mask-wearers, are greatly diminished.

Tim Spanton wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 6:11 pm

... I guess it goes to show we are not yet fully over the effects of the pandemic, even if the effects, like the number of mask-wearers, are greatly diminished.

I'm afraid the pandemic is still here and a new UK wave started a few week's ago. Here's a recent short piece in the British Medical Journal summarising the current situation and highlighting the need for improved indoor air quality.

Angus French wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:19 pm

I'm afraid the pandemic is still here and a new UK wave started a few week's ago. Here's a recent short piece in the British Medical Journal summarising the current situation and highlighting the need for improved indoor air quality.

The author of the piece is Professor Christina Pagel.

For a reminder about her, please see the last post (mine) at viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10834&start=2190.

Post deleted

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:53 pm

Angus French wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:19 pm

I'm afraid the pandemic is still here and a new UK wave started a few week's ago. Here's a recent short piece in the British Medical Journal summarising the current situation and highlighting the need for improved indoor air quality.

The author of the piece is Professor Christina Pagel.

For a reminder about her, please see the last post (mine) at viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10834&start=2190.

You know better than a professor in clinical operational research? And what about the facts cited in the piece - for example, COVID mentioned on 20,000 death certificates to date this year; an estimated (by the ONS) 600,000 cases of Long Covid arising 4 or more weeks after an Omicron infection in the UK. Surely these say the virus isn't trivial?

Angus French wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 9:19 pm

You know better than a professor in clinical operational research? And what about the facts cited in the piece - for example, COVID mentioned on 20,000 death certificates to date this year; an estimated (by the ONS) 600,000 cases of Long Covid arising 4 or more weeks after an Omicron infection in the UK. Surely these say the virus isn't trivial?

I was drawing attention to her track record, so that members of this Forum can make their own judgment.

Appeals to authority only work if the person in question has an impressive track record.

It is also true that some of the most eminent scientists awarded Nobel Prizes have gone a bit wacky over time. I fear that the pandemic has simply highlighted how poor the public grasp of science is, and they have not been helped by the weaponisation of the data by the media and other vested interests. Most of us don't have the time to become experts or read enough to have an informed judgement, so debate of the last two years has proved somewhat disorientating not to say disconcerting.

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:00 pm

Angus French wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 9:19 pm

You know better than a professor in clinical operational research? And what about the facts cited in the piece - for example, COVID mentioned on 20,000 death certificates to date this year; an estimated (by the ONS) 600,000 cases of Long Covid arising 4 or more weeks after an Omicron infection in the UK. Surely these say the virus isn't trivial?

I was drawing attention to her track record, so that members of this Forum can make their own judgment.

What are you talking about? What has Professor Pagel got wrong? What about the facts I quoted above?

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:12 pm

Appeals to authority only work if the person in question has an impressive track record.

Are you suggesting Professor Pagel doesn't have an impressive track record? If so, what has she got wrong? What about the facts cited above?

I note that on this forum you've previously suggested that the alternative to doing nothing is to lockdown, that there's no middle way such as to provide protections such as ventilation, air-purification and, when the virus is particularly prevalent, masking.

Angus French wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:48 pm

What are you talking about? What has Professor Pagel got wrong? What about the facts I quoted above?

I refer you to the link in my first post in the thread.

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 11:02 pm

Angus French wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:48 pm

What are you talking about? What has Professor Pagel got wrong? What about the facts I quoted above?

I refer you to the link in my first post in the thread.

Yes, very good David. You selectively quoted. You missed off "but that doesn't mean it's over. We need to get cases down even further - if we go into autumn [2021] with 20,000 cases a day I would be very worried." If I recall, case counts by the end of 2021 were approaching 200,000 a day. How many died? How many were debilitated with Long Covid?... Again - third time of asking now: what about the facts quoted in the BMJ article?

J T Melsom wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:22 pm

It is also true that some of the most eminent scientists awarded Nobel Prizes have gone a bit wacky over time. I fear that the pandemic has simply highlighted how poor the public grasp of science is, and they have not been helped by the weaponisation of the data by the media and other vested interests. Most of us don't have the time to become experts or read enough to have an informed judgement, so debate of the last two years has proved somewhat disorientating not to say disconcerting.

What weaponisation of data by the media and other vested interests?

If you want to know what's going on I suggest watching the weekly Independent SAGE briefing. It's broadcast live on Fridays at 1:30PM and lasts about an hour. If you miss the broadcast you can watch it later on YouTube. Independent SAGE was set up by Sir David King, former UK Government Chief Scientific Advisor. It's members are, for the most-part, very-well qualified scientists in various relevant disciplines. YouTube channel here.