Skeptics Forum.

Commenting as an ignorant bystander, what seems clear to me is that a metal strip along the upper edge of the mask is highly beneficial as it can be shaped to fit around the top of the nose, making a close fit. Otherwise, the air movement as you breathe will simply go past the nose (steaming up any ...

The BBC reports: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55804978 A group of MPs is calling for hedgehog nesting sites to get the same protections as those for bats and badgers, in an effort to boost numbers. Former Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has tabled an amendment to the Environment Bill, w...

I see that Chris Grey mentions "Long Brexit" - inspired by Long Covid - to describe the difficulties caused by Brexit which are not just teething problems but are structural, long-term issues that are not going away. More and more of these seem to be emerging...

It doesn't matter what goes wrong, the cause is absolutely, definitely, anything but Brexit: :roll: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news/westminster-news/boris-johnson-blames-seafood-companies-over-border-blockages-6913500 https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news/westminster-news/brandon...

https://nypost.com/2021/01/18/gwyneth-paltrows-vagina-candle-ignites-in-uk-home-report/?fbclid=IwAR1nCoi5gJurToexeWkHa4sY-eSxqd3OzOjV2dwhRCsIE0bw28aR4W5JOSM Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘vagina’ candle reportedly explodes in UK woman’s home A “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle that the actress peddles on Goo...

Matt wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:12 am It's almost as if they let the professionals handle it rather than outsourcing it to their mates with zero capability or experience.

What a radical notion...

This topic is likely to feature somewhat this year, so to kick off here's a fascinating analysis in The New European: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news/polling-and-scottish-independence-6895022 I had no idea that the Scottish parliament's voting system was open to such "gaming",...

Apropos of nothing at all, I have noticed the preference for running words together, as in "weeknights". The problem with that is that I always think of small men in shiny armour....

chaggle wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:45 pm
The difference is that there will always remain an unvaccinated sector of the population who will be more at risk because of the vaccinated - and therefore immune but infectious - majority.

But presumably not for long...

It is also all but certain that an impeachment trial will result in Trump being found not guilty, as two-thirds of the senators have to vote in favour of a conviction and that seems very unlikely at the moment (although it is dangerous to make predictions these days). The main purpose of the exercis...

Here's a "Next Brexit Timetable' to cheer everyone up:

https://twitter.com/Usherwood/status/13 ... 02/photo/1

I had to smile when looking at the newspaper headlines today. The Daily Star had: "The clap's back"

I automatically assumed that, on top of everything else, we were now facing an outbreak of venereal disease...

2020 was definitely a year to forget. Whether 2021 will be any better will depend on the speed and effectiveness of Covid vaccinations, and the practical consequences of leaving the EU. Given a choice, I think I'd rather skip 2021 too, and go straight to 2022. The BBC had a survey of the papers wit...

Hey, what happened to my response? I posted it yesterday... I replied that the daily figures for those infected were presumably from actual testing (which covers only a small percentage of the overall population), whereas the overall figure of 2% would be an extrapolation from the tests to cover the...

bindeweede wrote: ↑Fri Jan 01, 2021 11:36 am It is very odd watching the New Year's Day concert from Vienna - with no audience.

I have that one recorded but not seen it yet.

Oh well, that presumably gave the commentator even more time to examine what proportion of the orchestra was female...