Leaderboard

Just got back - I wimped out of taking the Westie - just as well, as Julie's forecast of "it'll be 6 degrees" turned out to be a bit wide of the mark (by about 6 degrees....) The drive alternated between glorious sunshine and thick fog - Billy Pee reported that the Cat & Fiddle was thick fog on the way over, but I gambled that it might have cleared a bit, so I took the long route home. It looked like being a poor decision until about a mile from the summit and then the fog cleared - couldn't resist a piccy....

An early start. My first ride in the dark. Damp and foggy, Wipers packed up on the way there 😂. 40 miles to meet (7 sevens) some of the SKCC guys for a brisk little 65 mile blast around the Sussex and Kent country side. Breaky stop and back home for a good wash! 😎👌

What a fantastic day! can you tell by the fun comments made above by our witty companions. Not just the people but the cars too, oh the cars have been so wonderful to look at, we always love it when Billy swaps to the Porsche in the winter so this was just brill. Obviously I love a line of Westfield's but if they don't come out in the cold (not you ABC😀) then this is a cracking substitute. The driving has been challenging too and I love a challenge. We set off with ABC in minus a half a degree fog to arrive in Matlock with it's blue sky and sunshine. It was like that all the way to Edale, very unpredictable, the last bit of road was running with water, in the shade, surrounded by frost covered grass and very steep downhill. I presume that if there are grit bins at the side of the road it means the road does not get gritted so much? well I wasn't taking that risk and slowed it down just in case we met any black ice. In the sunshiney bits the air was really clear and the wintry long shadows made for spectacular views over The Great Ridge, Nigel's photo gives you a good idea of what I mean. We arrived at The Rambler with that WOW factor, my rear view mirror, oooh, a cocktail of Westfield, Porsche and Aston Martin combined with the views forward, oooh. We met at McD's in Matlock and caught up on everyone's news as we went on a grand tour of the cars. We have 2 x V8's, a straight six 3 litre and a flat six 3.2 litre, all led by my very puny 1.8 Zetec, talk about feeling inferior, I was dreading the start up as everyone else sounded so grunty. I had to laugh at this one, Bonnet's Up in Porsche terms is a comparison of how much storage space you have, quite a lot actually! Under the bonnet of the AM, 4.3 V8 Inside the AM Oops, I need a closer look. My, it was very low to the floor, that's rich coming from a Westfield driver. Nothing to see in the engine bay of a Porsche only 2 fans so here is the interior of the 911 Targa 4S Oops, I needed a closer look at that one too I just had to try the back seat out, I was glad my husband was next to me when I said that, not that there was any room to get up to anything in there! I could barely breathe. Rear window, not often do you find a rear window worth photographing So that was us with our new meeting place tried, tested and deemed successful. We arrived at a frosty but sunny Rambler Inn We all had a great lunch before heading off home. I was glad ABC follows me all the way to the petrol station 1 mile from my home, just in case I ran out of fuel. We are changing the last few fuel pipes next week and I needed to run my tank down, don't you just hate doing that, we made it home thankfully and with enough time to wash any salt residue off the underneath of the car. It is always great to see our regulars ABC and Billy, it is an extra treat when Nigel brings his witty sarcasm that makes me laugh so much and it is so sweet to see AndyR who we know can only come infrequently, more so when he moves to Arran, so we have savoured every moment today. Have a lovely Christmas guys, stay safe and thanks for coming, Glen and Julie xxx

Cold, damp, grey and miserable this morning, but enough about me, it's the breakfast meeting.

Happily. I'm more than willing to take the advice of the medical profession. It puzzles me that folk who refuse the vaccine are more than keen to get medical attention from the exact same place that was offering the vaccine in the first place. What makes them think there’s a difference between the two things? Here’s a challenge for those who refuse a vaccine - next time you’re ill, sort yourself out. After all, you clearly don’t trust healthcare.

Just got back but unfortunately my run home was met with fog & mist the whole way 😞 Thanks for a great run out today ... the temperature was a little (as in a lot!) colder than predicted by our glamorous weather lady but heated seats & steering wheel helped with that. Nice to have an Aston Martin in my rear view mirror and the Turkey baguette was fantastic. Can't wait for the next one!

That is how it is working out though, just slowly. First couple of months of this year we had two million cases and 50,000 people died. Last couple of months of the year, similar, two million cases, lived relatively normal lives, but deaths limited to about 7,000. The numbers are absolutely consistent with most of the people having a vaccine that 90% effectively prevents deaths, I dread to think what the year would have been like without the vaccines. Vaccine scientists not getting enough credit in my book. Can't see this going forward anytime soon? we have made huge strides.

And how would he have reacted to a Covid infection then? Nobody knows, but the statistics bear out the assertion that on balance, the vaccine is orders of magnitude safer than catching the virus unvaccinated. There are always going to be individual cases but this is a numbers game. The trouble comes when you know the face behind the number.

No fog in Snowdon. Fantastic 100mile run out today and only got caught out in the fog bank when I dropped down into Conwy for my last 5 miles and no it wasn’t me who hit Santa.

This does not reflect the national statistics though. Which show a much more even number or even more vaccinated people. Which you'd expect with the age profile of serious illness. One of the saddest things I've seen over the past few months is the number of "celebrities" on TV stating how selfish the unvaccinated are. There was another rugby player just yesterday at it. How they arent protecting their loved ones etc. Its disgraceful misinformation and marginalising a number of the population. Yes some believe that the jab is the root of all evil and full of nanobots but there is a decent chunk who've read the data and made a choice based on their circumstances. (And I'm double jabbed)

Which is why surely there has to be a new approach to this new variant. We can't keep having more jabs everytime a variant or surge happens? The data from South Africa shows the best reaction to omicron was from those with natural immunity. So keep boosting those who want it, the vulnerable and those with underlying and leave the rest to gain some resistance without relying on medication? There also needs to be a review of the self isolation rules. Several people I know from work, and other friends who've tested positive and had symptoms have cleared cold like symptoms and are testing negative by day 3 or 4 yet are unable to return to work for another week! This will be putting more strain on the NHS than omicron admissions. This is what's had my wee simmering lately. Sensationalist headlines reporting record "surges" of cases. Yet fail to mention there has been a surge in testing to match. For instance this weekend 90k cases from 1.6m tests. So around 6 percent positivity rate. A month ago we were doing 700k tests a day with 35k cases, so 5%. Hardly the apocalypse that the press are reporting? Deaths are actually falling and although admissions are creeping up not steeply and also people are not remaining in hospital as long so the pressure is not as sustained. Why does none of this "better" news make the headlines? Has it become policy to scare the living bejezus out of people? Also I read an interview with the chairman of the SAGE modelling group yesterday. The models that they have produced are all based on Delta. They have not produced best or worst cases based on omicron data from around the world. So their models are based on a previously more severe strain crossed with the fact omicron transmits easier. No wonder the graphs look scary!! Why? They've produced the models they were asked to.

I know it does seem against the news but we have made huge strides in getting back to normal. At the moment in Charlottes ward they are full in ITU and all but one are unvaccinated. Some of these will sadly not make it. The NHS doom mongers are afraid that with the normal winter pressure, which happens every year, if this new variant gives a similar ratio of hospitalisations as before they will be swamped. This is why the government is being bounced towards another lockdown. Remember the flack they were getting for not locking down and stopping flights, they cannot win as someone will say they got it wrong. So far it appears the news is better as cases are climbing, which is possibly due to more testing but hospital admissions are not going up at the same rate. Vaccinate people still get Covid, in exactly the same way as they can get the flu after a flu jab, but they are keeping out of hospital and getting well at home. What I hadn't realised is many of those who have ended up in ITU and survive, do so with a much lessened volume in airway capacity so longer term they will have more issues. I am not an advocate of mandatory vaccination for the population we should have made a better case so those who feel they do not want it are shown the facts. Today Charlotte was having her hair done where the young stylist was discussing the vaccines the lock down etc. She did not know Charlottes job so was regaling her with tales of the vaccine causing blood clots pregnancy issues etc. When asked what her friend did and where she got her information from, it was the internet and she was another hairdresser. Charlotte explained what her job was, how the vaccine worked, known risks and how she had not seen any of these issues in her wards or heard of any at the hospitals she covers, there will have been some but not causing ITU admissions. The bit the got me from the conversation was when Charlotte explained that as she is an anaesthetics Dr who puts people into induced comas she is the last person many people see before they die. She has had too many of those this last year or so to deal with and some would not have died had they been vaccinated. We will get through this but we have to stay the course. Personally I think anther lockdown will happen as the pressure to do one is so great from so many experts. Take reasonable precautions and enjoy Christmas as normal.

For balance... looks like the latest estimates are 73000 unjabbed NHS staff, out of estimated 593000 total. Which makes 12% and pretty close to the general population. However, I do agree that - especially when combined with the threat of a job loss - working in such a field would make you uptake the jab in higher percentages than the average citizen if you have seen first hand that it does what it says on the tin.

erm, that will be me and you then.

Really? Have you seen the number of people that have recovered from it compared to those that have died? When they first released the vaccines, and told us all they had removed all accountability from the manufacturers 🙄,in my age group of people with no underlying health issues the death rate was one person in 35k people. The odds of me dying in a traffic accident are way higher! If the vaccine stopped you passing it on to other people I could understand them pushing it so much for everyone to get vaccinated, but it doesn't. For the first two weeks after the vaccine is at it's best they say transmission is reduced,but after two weeks that plummets.

Trust the founder member of the Westfield Swingers Club Chesterfield, to come out with a phrase like that! 😊 Glad you've had a good run out!

That clutch pedal linkage 😄

Well a cracking day out today, yes a bit “fresh” had to wear a jacket and wooly hat!! Lol, but the roof was unzipped all day!!! Just under 200 miles of fun , the roads were a tad wet n skity this morning, headed off over the Cabrach fuelled up at Lumsden then took a heap of lovely single track hill roads with some stunning views, to Aboyne , then picked up the pace a little along Strathdon to Braemar, Glenshee then on down to the tearoom at Nith . Here a log burner a cracking bowl of broth and a slab of cake, warmed me up. So back up and over Glenshee through Braemar and refuelled at a wee country roadside pump as the petrol station in Braemar is shut at weekends ( but meant to be getting a pay at the pump soon) Then it was up and over the Glenshiel road and to Corgarf then a hood blast up and over the lecht before home up Glen Rinnes . Poor Tommy was absolutely minging so now all washed down and put away and I’ve a hot coffee Sorry for the picture fest but it was a great day out

i will go for a head start everytime

The demographics of those 90000 would be interesting to study for a pattern

Could we say the same for alcoholics, smokers, drug addicts, motorcyclists and anyone else choosing to take a risk? I dont think anyone is mistrusting our healthcare, they don't create and distribute vaccines, they don't make policy they are just the good men and women who thankfully deal with what is put in front of them. But answer me this. If anyone who is not taking a vaccine silly or away with the fairies, why are there roughly 90000 people in the NHS risking their jobs by currently being unvaccinated?

Glad it does to you because I'm still very confused (about pretty much everything in life) 🤣

Dont forget this government has to look after 58m sheep. If too many sheep go astray the rest will follow and before you know if you've meyhem.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine

I would separate science and medicine out from each other personally. But I definitely get your point 👍 general advances in technology of all sorts are allowing us to live longer, definitely. I think those who have strong feelings either way always come out in these discussions (Brexit!!!), so I don't think these last few pages are representative of a forum ratio. Only child (oh and I am well away with the faries too). Don't like being told what to do 🙃 certainly not by some buffoon who walked into Eaton with a silver spoon hanging out of his gob, goes by a phoney name and can't even stick to his own rules. I actually reconsider my position on this every few days, and am constantly trying to glean as much info as I can from various places. I am still of the opinion that none of the Covid assistance meds are suitable for someone in my position, all things considered (he says with a banging head, runny nose, sore throat, stiff neck and shoulders, sneezing and coughing! Sounds like Omicron, but these are the exact symptoms of flu, and my Covid test came back negative. Weird huh...).

The car has been SOLD. Like a cat with 9 lives it will be bought back up to MOT standard and enjoyed by a new owner.

but pretty much all of that is due to science, folks finding out what in your food, scientific understanding in engneering when it comes to building houses etc, i could go on... not saying you are away with the fairies, but you are a smart bloke, we have all seen the things you build . i don't get why so many are anti vax on here.

ok, would you then care to explain, why just 200 years ago the average death age was around 35, fast forward to 2020 and its around 85. for those who don't truct medicine, what is your take on these differences?.

No not quite true Kev. Lets say you die from a cardiac arrest, that is the cause however on the death certificate if Covid was a factor then yes that will be there. In the early days there was not enough autopsy time so they did record Covid on death certificates with no autopsy, but for anyone dying after a vaccine was given a full autopsy was performed. My feeling is that the stats are not that far out but others will disagree

So what was that chocolate shortbread thing you were munching on just after the huge steak & ale pie?….. 😉

You keep taking the jabs,I'll keep taking my chances.

196 glorious miles. No roof day at the end of December. Wipers got well used due to the fog! Left here at 7.15am in the dark and fog. Home again just after 4 as the darkness came and again in the fog. Brilliant day out. Thanks one and all but especially the one.

Hi Jeff. Yes apologies I was referring to "patients being admitted for emergency care". I've seen the document you are referring to. And it even has a footnote to say that the stats against the unvaccinated are not easy to determine due to the hugely larger proportion of those vaccinated. There doesn't seem to be a specific chart for ITU. Safe? Yes. But not 100% safe so not possible to say there's no doubt. Only a lot of time will determine that. A lot of people are having adverse reactions that don't seem to get the coverage it deserves. I'm no health care professional and don't claim to know it all. However I find it a complete disgrace how the government and media are cherry picking the actual "facts" that they are putting out there. There are people out there who are genuinely **** scared of covid, despite being triple jabbed and fit and healthy. For instance the first week of omicron it was "it evades the vaccine" a week later it was "get another jab" laughable really if it wasn't so sad.

I am aware that many will not believe this - the day was also CAKE FREE!!

"we don't now much about omicron, but what we do know is bad" You do not make statements like that to a nation, unless you are imposing fear.

I seem to remember hearing that 2xAZ + 1xPfizer was optimum. Could be propaganda though...

If you had 2 x AZ you get 1 x mod or Pfizer as a booster.

ahhh i am a phone god..... had to install a photo resizer though as i could not work out how to do it otherwise.

Just a test to post a pic taken on the phone and logged in on the phone

If they're not sorted already, check the fuse for the wipers and carry spares. The motors and mechanisms used for the reproduction parts we have to use now, can take a surprising amount of bedding in and freeing off. During which, they're prone to popping fuses. They do settle down eventually though, assuming all else is OK.

Spike Jonze directed "it's oh so quiet" and was the genius behind this little gem...

Can't deny that based upon the above numbers, and there is some evidence to suggest the jabs may be assisting with reducing severe illness / death within 28 days of a positive Covid test (we'll skip over the flawed reporting...), but for balance its also important to consider the following: - Over time we have gradually built up natural immunity, relevant to the exact strain prevalent at the time (though maybe not for Omicron as it seems to spread so fast). - Those most susceptible to the disease will sadly no longer be around to be part of the numbers. - Viruses mutate to become more infectious but less deadly (like all organisms their main goal is to reproduce, so there's no point killing all their potential hosts before they have had chance to spread), which is a double whammy on the numbers. Our world leaders and pharma / marketing companies will no doubt claim credit though.

Doesn't @NigelO own a Vantage? If so Glen is going to be spoilt for choice 😉

Although i don't know you Julie , i think you do a great job and i will make it my mission to do one of your meetings in future Covid permitting 😀

ok, thank you all, we got there in the end 2 hours to work it out but i now have access to the phone on the pc. i am sure it's a doddle if you are used to this stuff, but getting there slowly.

Still not started the 1st episode yet. Sounds like I've a bit of catch up to do😬

Had a quick charge about this afternoon. The ole heated jacket is still tip top accessory I’ve bought!