Coronavirus outbreak

[MntnMan62]

There was a burger chain in America who introduced a 1/3 quarter pounder burger to compete against McDonald's 1/4 pounder. It flopped because people thought the McDonald's burger was bigger. 4 is bigger than 3, right?

It's because of this I no longer get surprised at the utter stupidity that some people display.

This is the crux of the biscuit for why America has had the screaming orange sphincter muscle in the White House for the past 4 years. Sheer stupidity. To truly understand the extent of the stupidity all you have to do is have a converstation with a devout Trump fan. And then you have to make note of the fact that almost 74 million people voted for the guy. That is a hand to the face moment.

 

[PK99]

This is the crux of the biscuit for why America has had the screaming orange sphincter muscle in the White House for the past 4 years. Sheer stupidity. To truly understand the extent of the stupidity all you have to do is have a converstation with a devout Trump fan. And then you have to make note of the fact that almost 74 million people voted for the guy. That is a hand to the face moment.

Trump was predicted 100 years ago.

H L Mencken American Journalist 1920:

“As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and a complete narcissistic moron.”

 

[DaveReading]

There was a burger chain in America who introduced a 1/3 quarter pounder burger to compete against McDonald's 1/4 pounder. It flopped because people thought the McDonald's burger was bigger. 4 is bigger than 3, right?

That's a great story. Unfortunately there's no evidence that the supposed cause-and-effect is actually true.

It's because of this I no longer get surprised at the utter stupidity that some people display.

Plenty of highly intelligent people struggle with fractions.

 

[nickyboy]

That's a great story. Unfortunately there's no evidence that the supposed cause-and-effect is actually true.



Plenty of highly intelligent people struggle with fractions.

Particularly as a "1/3 quarter pounder" is 1/12 which is a very small burger indeed

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

My bad

https://economistsview.typepad.com/...ithmetic-failings-displayed-by-americans.html

Why the Third Pounder hamburger failed: One of the most vivid arithmetic failings displayed by Americans occurred in the early 1980s, when the A&W restaurant chain released a new hamburger to rival the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. With a third-pound of beef, the A&W burger had more meat than the Quarter Pounder; in taste tests, customers preferred A&W’s burger. And it was less expensive. A lavish A&W television and radio marketing campaign cited these benefits. Yet instead of leaping at the great value, customers snubbed it. Only when the company held customer focus groups did it become clear why. The Third Pounder presented the American public with a test in fractions. And we failed. Misunderstanding the value of one-third, customers believed they were being overcharged. Why, they asked the researchers, should they pay the same amount for a third of a pound of meat as they did for a quarter-pound of meat at McDonald’s. The “4” in “¼,” larger than the “3” in “⅓,” led them astray.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Midge Ure has penned a new charity song

It's Christmastime, there's no need to be afraid
At Christmastime, we let in light and we banish shade

And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world at Christmastime

But say a prayer, pray for the other ones
At Christmastime it's hard, but when you're having fun

There's a world outside your window
And it's a world of dread and fear

Where the only water flowing
Is the bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom
Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you

And there won't be gatherings in England this Christmastime
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life

Where nothing ever happens
No gatherings or turkeys eaten
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?
Here's to you
Raise a glass for everyone

Here's to them
Underneath that pouring rain
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

Vaccinate the world
Vaccinate the world
Vaccinate the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Vaccinate the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Vaccinate the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Vaccinate the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Vaccinate the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Vaccinate the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again

 

[johnblack]

Good grief.

 

[mjr]

Interesting advice from Independent SAGE at https://www.independentsage.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Winter-celebrations-final.pdf

 

[rockyroller]

you guys want some fun TV watching?

Trackdown - the full chump-episode from 1958


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5EJBuVjfNc


In this episode of Trackdown from 1958, a con artist named walter chump comes to a small town in texas where he scares the people into buying his fake anti meteorite wall of umbrellas to save the citizens. The whole episode is eery with numerous references to chump's ongoing wall con. Could it have been that the writer was inspired by fred chump, his father, who at that time was conning in Queens?

 

[MntnMan62]

Trump was predicted 100 years ago.

H L Mencken American Journalist 1920:

“As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and a complete narcissistic moron.”

It seems that you and H L Mencken are absolutely correct.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa09am-cOsC-FSgr_nLkFFA/

There was a Covid-19 webinar this afternoon, linked above, discussing vaccines. Part of the Covid-19 symptom survey app team (For some reason I failed to get the address to embed.)

 

[mjr]

The ex-landlord of Hancock's local got a fat NHS contract after Whatsapping him, says https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ovid-test-kit-contract-after-whatsapp-message

Official response to this chumocracy allegation includes "no evidence" and “We do not comment on the secretary of state’s personal relationships” rather than a straight denial!

 

[mjr]

Hancock's statement to the Commons expected about 11:30, which is expected to detail which areas get what.

 

[mjr]

Hancock's statement to the Commons expected about 11:30, which is expected to detail which areas get what.

gov.uk/find-coronavirus-local-restrictions was put live 11:14, crashed in under 10 minutes, and just got the government a verbal rebuke from the Speaker of the Commons for not showing Parliament enough respect to announce things to it first.

Currently waiting for Hancock to appear because that delayed proceedings by about 10 minutes.

 

[Archie_tect]

Is Hancock's Half-Hour on repeat every day?