Coronavirus

[Nearly Sane]

Did you forget a few words there?

I think B McB is using it to echo Gloria in Excelsis

[jeremyp]

Hmmm...I think this could be phrased better


https://www.itv.com/news/2020-10-06/rishi-sunak-suggests-musicians-and-others-in-arts-should-retrain-and-find-other-jobs

What in particular should have been phrased better? The chancellor's comments or the ITV story? If the latter, they seem to have realised that:

UPDATE: This article has changed to reflect that the Chancellor's comments were about employment generally and not specifically about the music or arts sector.

[Nearly Sane]

I'm not at all surprised. This sort of thing happens all the time. You're told you have to set some system up in a short time frame, so you hack something together using Excel. You promise yourself that you will review that decision later when you have got time, but, of course that time never arrives. Then one day you hit Excel's limits and everything falls apart in spectacular fashion. Then you hack together a work around that makes the whole thing even more creaky (which, from what I've heard is what they've done). Rinse and repeat.

There are three ways to fix this:

1. Use tools appropriate to the job. That means a database.

2. Upgrade hardware and software so you can use a modern version of Excel (which can deal with a million rows of data)

3. Split the Excel files into smaller batches - the chosen solution.

I can understand why they haven't immediately taken option 1 - they don't have time. I can't understand why they haven't taken option 2 unless it's a bureaucracy thing: they can't get the hardware and software in time, even though you or I might just go to a shop and buy a computer and then get Excel online.

I have seen some reports that it was because they used columns as opposed to rows to store the cases that they ran out. 

[jeremyp]

I have seen some reports that it was because they used columns as opposed to rows to store the cases that they ran out.

Yes, I dismissed those stories because it would be stupid to do it that way. However, the size limits on modern versions of Excel are more credible (16 thousand as opposed to one million).

[Maeght]

I think B McB is using it to echo Gloria in Excelsis

Quite possibly.

[Nearly Sane]

What in particular should have been phrased better? The chancellor's comments or the ITV story? If the latter, they seem to have realised that:

Both, I would suggest. Sunak's phrasing both set up the misread and also looks as if it's merely repetition rather than an answer to the specific issue and the question asked.

[SteveH]

Did you forget a few words there?

Pun on "Hosanna in excelsis".

[Maeght]

Pun on "Hosanna in excelsis".

I see it now (Doh!). Very good.

[Nearly Sane]

Bye bye pubs and restaurants again for those of us in the Central Belt

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54449573

[Nearly Sane]

And all fine


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54446285

[Nearly Sane]

The Trump triumvirate of threads continues.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-54455040

[jeremyp]

The Trump triumvirate of threads continues.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-54455040

It's very unfortunate for the American people that Trump's COVID19 seems not to have been very serious. I don't mean in terms of wanting him to die - which I don't - but he's now pushing the narrative that it isn't serious at all.

[Nearly Sane]

It's very unfortunate for the American people that Trump's COVID19 seems not to have been very serious. I don't mean in terms of wanting him to die - which I don't - but he's now pushing the narrative that it isn't serious at all.

Yep, agree. And that he then wants to punt a non FDA approved treatment.

[Nearly Sane]

Teachers being told not to use the  Serco app?


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54465356

[jeremyp]

Teachers being told not to use the  Serco app?


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54465356

Disgraceful

“ One head teacher told his colleagues there was a danger a staff member could receive an alert relating to their external activities, which would then trigger more alerts affecting the school”

Good point. If you contract coronavirus outside of the workplace, you won’t infect anybody in your workplace. /sarcasm.

[Nearly Sane]

So the Scottish govt is going to allow all cafes to remain open - with licensed ones not allowed to sell drink
 The problem is that there is no such there as a licensed cafe, just licensed premises so will be interesting as to how they can define it.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54466992

[jeremyp]

So the Scottish govt is going to allow all cafes to remain open - with licensed ones not allowed to sell drink
 The problem is that there is no such there as a licensed cafe, just licensed premises so will be interesting as to how they can define it.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54466992

Why is it a problem? It seems simple enough to me: cafés can remain open as long as they don't serve alcohol.

[ProfessorDavey]

So the Scottish govt is going to allow all cafes to remain open - with licensed ones not allowed to sell drink
 The problem is that there is no such there as a licensed cafe, just licensed premises so will be interesting as to how they can define it.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54466992

Are planning use classes very different in Scotland?

Certainly in England a cafe is a different use class than a bar or pub. A cafe is able to apply for a licence to serve alcohol, but that does not mean it ceases to be a cafe - rather it becomes a licensed cafe rather than an unlicensed cafe.

Sure you can argue that there are cafes that look like bars, and bars that look like cafes, but the distinction will be their planning.

[Nearly Sane]

Why is it a problem? It seems simple enough to me: cafés can remain open as long as they don't serve alcohol.

Nothing on  the licence states that they are cafes, and there is no official definition of a cafe.

[Nearly Sane]

This is worrying on the economy

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54474490

[Nearly Sane]

Are planning use classes very different in Scotland?

Certainly in England a cafe is a different use class than a bar or pub. A cafe is able to apply for a licence to serve alcohol, but that does not mean it ceases to be a cafe - rather it becomes a licensed cafe rather than an unlicensed cafe.

Sure you can argue that there are cafes that look like bars, and bars that look like cafes, but the distinction will be their planning.

The confusion appears to be with restaurants not bars. Oddly enough two places  that I frequent have Cafe in their name but neither is a cafe

[ProfessorDavey]

The confusion appears to be with restaurants not bars. Oddly enough two places  that I frequent have Cafe in their name but neither is a cafe

Not sure I understand the issue - are there different rules applying to cafes and restaurants?

[Nearly Sane]

Not sure I understand the issue - are there different rules applying to cafes and restaurants?

Yes. In the Central Belt, restaurants are to shut but  cafes can open.

[SweetPea]

There are many scientists and medical experts that are speaking-up now about different ways to combat the pandemic but you will not find them on such media as the BBC, so you have to look elsewhere. This is worth a listen. Plus the interviewer is excellent - never biased and always asks relevant questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz_Z7Gf1aRE&t=816s

[Nearly Sane]

So Nicola Sturgeon has covered the definition of cafe  in the briefing and it seems to be that it's a place serving light snacks that doesn't make significant amounts from sales of alcohol, and that she trusts business owners to know the difference. I know of at least one place nearby that is called a cafe that I wouldn't be sure that applies to.