Some Good News Stories

If you want to give out about something or vent cynicism and spleen there is any number, any number of threads on AAM in which to do so.

Indeed, it is difficult to find one where this is completely absent.

People get sick of it. They know what is wrong already.
 
Northwestern University in Chicago are producing 1000 3-D printed face masks a day from a single printer.
UL are doing their project in conjunction with Cook Medical, Vistakon, Zimmer and Benchspace and are still only talking about 2500 shields a week.
Once you have the CAD model (lots of them are public domain) then it's just a case of plug and play. Think of it like a 3D photocopier with someone else supplying the thing you are copying. How can they only produce 2500 a week (20 an hour based on a 5 day week)?
 
If you want to give out about something or vent cynicism and spleen there is any number, any number of threads on AAM in which to do so.

Indeed, it is difficult to find one where this is completely absent.

People get sick of it. They know what is wrong already.
Okay, so we ignore the actual reasons we are short of stuff but rather celebrate some tokenism? Go it.

Between Cook, Vistakon and Zimmer they employ over 4000 people here and turn over hundreds of millions. This is akin to offering the use of their canteen.
 
The problem we have is just looking at one side of any story ends up presenting a Fox-news like view of the world.

There are multiple valid viewpoints on the UL story for example. While most will agree it's good news that they are producing PPE and reagent, it's clear that they are following in others footsteps. So it's also valid to question why they have so engaged their PR resources to publicise this and whether they are seeking to take advantage of the crisis.
 
If you want to give out about something or vent cynicism and spleen there is any number, any number of threads on AAM in which to do so.

Indeed, it is difficult to find one where this is completely absent.

People get sick of it. They know what is wrong already.

Indeed.
I follow the UK coverage closely and what's interesting is that however much the hacks try to catch someone out with a " gotcha " question at the daily news conference and despite the wall of negative coverage about the government's handling of the crisis the latest polling shows Boris and the Tories have never been more popular.
Yes there are legitimate questions to be asked but most people want information not scapegoats.
What they want to know is very simple.When is a vaccine likely, when will the lockdown end, when will it be safe to go back to work and travel ?
And if the answer to those questions at the moment is " we don't know " then they're willing to accept it.
 
If you want to give out about something or vent cynicism and spleen there is any number, any number of threads on AAM in which to do so.

Indeed, it is difficult to find one where this is completely absent.

People get sick of it. They know what is wrong already.

It is the nature of social media though, there is little respite from negativity, there is no middle ground because birds of a feather flock together on social media. I am generalizing here, it's not always the case. This forum is good and well moderated, other places can be a cesspit.

Personally, I think this crisis has bought the absolute best out of Leo Varadkar, Simon Harris, Tony Holohan and the HSE from a leadership perspective and 8 weeks ago if I never heard Simon Harris again, it would have been too soon. That was then and this is now. To everyone on the frontline, they deserve every word of praise they get. Hurlers on the ditch throwing in shade and negativity are just that, hurlers on the ditch.

What Ireland as a country has learned in the last three/four weeks cant be bought, it is a level of maturity that it rarely had before and a roadmap for the second wave which will no doubt come before a vaccine will.

That might make me a cheerleader! It doesn't mean a free pass, it just means I can only look after my own actions, and follow the guidance that we have. I am absolutely capable of cynicism but I don't see what the point is at the moment. Problems emerge, problems are solved. It is clear to me that those at the those at the top are solution focused in this crisis and that is what is needed. The detractors are agents of their own spin, they just might not notice it.

Anyway, just my opinion, doesn't matter either way. Some people are never happy and social media gives everyone an anomous avenue to say whatever they want.
 
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Indeed.
I follow the UK coverage closely and what's interesting is that however much the hacks try to catch someone out with a " gotcha " question at the daily news conference and despite the wall of negative coverage about the government's handling of the crisis the latest polling shows Boris and the Tories have never been more popular.
Yes there are legitimate questions to be asked but most people want information not scapegoats.
What they want to know is very simple.When is a vaccine likely, when will the lockdown end, when will it be safe to go back to work and travel ?
And if the answer to those questions at the moment is " we don't know " then they're willing to accept it.
Borris and Tories popularity will freeefall if miracle vaccine dosnt appear soon .The only numbers adding up over there are the infected and the dead .
 
Borris and Tories popularity will freeefall if miracle vaccine dosnt appear soon .The only numbers adding up over there are the infected and the dead .

Freefall ? I think that may be wishful thinking.
A month in and Boris' polling remains very high as do the Tories. None of the opposition parties have come up with a credible alternative strategy other than the lockdown and social distancing which so far has been accepted by the vast majority of the population.
The 3-week extension of the lockdown hasn't been met with any significant protest.
There's been a lot of media attention on PPE shortages but the reality is most hospitals are coping well, many have empty wards and quiet ICUs and the NHS Nightingale Centre in London is barely used.
Where those shortages exist are invariably NHS logistical problems rather than government cock-up.
And cynically speaking the longer Boris remains off sick the better his approval rating although he doesn't strike me as the sort of fellow who wouldn't want to be leading from the front as soon as possible.
Meanwhile the Labour Party is embroiled in a massive row over internal politics.
And all the while Brexit, the very event that earned Boris his 80-seat majority,bubbles away nicely under the surface.
Interesting times ahead.
 
Their lockdown and social distancing came too late for them Borris will be eventually remembered for the herd virus .Their hospitals are overrun with scared nurses and doctors saying nothing while rallying to the flag.There is up to 5000 deaths outside hospitals not factored in so far and in the end all will be remembered by the inaction of government .
 
Their lockdown and social distancing came too late for them Borris will be eventually remembered for the herd virus .Their hospitals are overrun with scared nurses and doctors saying nothing while rallying to the flag.There is up to 5000 deaths outside hospitals not factored in so far and in the end all will be remembered by the inaction of government .

The UK's stay at home orders were issued four days before the ones here in Ireland.
Far from being overrun there are more critical care beds available now ( 2295 ) than before the pandemic arrived.
If there are all these scared nurses and doctors why are there so many TikTok videos of them online going through their dances moves ?
I can only go on anecdotal evidence - my brother is a Orthopaedic Consultant in the Midlands - which tells me that while the NHS is under severe pressure as you would expect in a pandemic it is nowhere near overrun.
 
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Thinking back to last winter, and it was a mild winter, everybody seemed to have a cold, plenty of sniffling and sneezing. In today's world of social distancing nobody seems to have a cold. I wonder are we getting rid of common colds, influenza etc as a side effect of anti-Covid measures?
 
Either that or people are afraid to "have a cold at the present time".....or admit to having one...
 
Dunno where else to put it and it made me smile... people using their ironing board as a 'height adjustable' standing desk.
 
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There is up to 5000 deaths outside hospitals not factored in so far and in the end all will be remembered by the inaction of government .
An estimated 7,500 according to BBC 1 news at 6:00 am today. They were quoting a print medium article.
 
If a political party at the GE had promised:
Within 3 months:
Dramatically reduce carbon emissions
End the A&E trolley crisis
Introduce a single tier health system
Eradicate traffic congestion
Abolish junk mail
Have no more endless GAA results on RTE Sunday news

and achieve all this with no increase in income tax or USC and no reduction in social welfare payments
Surely such a manifesto would have swept all before them :oops:
 
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My nephew who was working one day /week and on the dole for the balance was laid off as his employer's "non-essential business" was forced to close. He now has more money in his pocket and more time to spend it than when he was working. Good news for him, bad news for his poor distracted Mammy!
 
This thread should be deleted, I came to it looking to hear about posters good news stories and found only negativity. Wont click on it again!
Sorry. Here's some good news; Work is busy, we are doing well. I'm really enjoying the cycle into and home from work as the traffic is fantastic. The weather is perfect too. I'm planning on buying a house later this year or early next year and a collapse in the housing market would suit me perfectly. Other than the kids being out of school and not seeing friends and family things couldn't be better.
 
Sorry. Here's some good news; Work is busy, we are doing well. I'm really enjoying the cycle into and home from work as the traffic is fantastic. The weather is perfect too. I'm planning on buying a house later this year or early next year and a collapse in the housing market would suit me perfectly. Other than the kids being out of school and not seeing friends and family things couldn't be better.

Indeed.
Unless you're lying in a hospital bed being fed oxygen to keep you alive every day is good news.
My company has lost a significant amount of money and all my staff have been laid off but we keep in touch weekly on a Zoom group call and all are in good spirits and itching to return.
Thankfully my kids have flown the roost as I feel sorry for those parents who are working from home and home-schooling as well.
The only thing I miss is the evening chinwag with my mates over a couple of pints.
But it's a small price to pay.
 
The UK's stay at home orders were issued four days before the ones here in Ireland.
We closed schools and cancelled mass gatherings way before the UK.

Far from being overrun there are more critical care beds available now ( 2295 ) than before the pandemic arrived.
If there are all these scared nurses and doctors why are there so many TikTok videos of them online going through their dances moves ?
They are all heroes and heroes don't feel fear.

I can only go on anecdotal evidence - my brother is a Orthopaedic Consultant in the Midlands - which tells me that while the NHS is under severe pressure as you would expect in a pandemic it is nowhere near overrun.
For clarity, is that the UK midlands or is he based here and talking to colleagues in the UK?
 
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