tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post3637451145879865818..comments2024-02-15T04:42:41.606+00:00Comments on James' Empty Blog: Dominic CummingsJames Annanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318741813895533700noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-44013250279383777872020-05-27T13:39:18.396+01:002020-05-27T13:39:18.396+01:00> Don't be so silly
Well, it was only my b...> Don't be so silly<br /><br />Well, it was only my best guess. But if we're on being silly, I'm doubtful he doesn't know about the Internet Archive. OTOH, when I poked around, I did notice that some other posts have explicit "UPDATED" notes on them.<br /><br />As to hypocrisy: it's unattractive but I can't bring myself to care about it greatly (FWIW, if he edited the blog without realising that people would notice, I find that incompetence more worrying). At least in part because I don't think the blanket simple rules made much sense. As I said on fb a moment ago https://www.facebook.com/andrew.haley.714/posts/10158590570162049?comment_id=10158590873722049.William M. Connolleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05836299130680534926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-62351320424545483372020-05-27T13:25:45.990+01:002020-05-27T13:25:45.990+01:00"forgot he updated it"
Don't be so ..."forgot he updated it"<br /><br />Don't be so silly. That statement was carefully designed, every word was crafted for specific purpose. The idea that he went back to add stuff in to an old blog post just a month ago, and then it didn't occur to him while checking the statement over in fine detail with his lawyer that he had done that, is about as credible as his "eye test".<br /><br />The story that he supported the lockdown - doesn't that just make him more hypocritical that he only wanted it to apply to the little people?James Annanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04318741813895533700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-63782512264544826532020-05-27T13:13:39.160+01:002020-05-27T13:13:39.160+01:00OK, so in a desperate attempt to make people read ...OK, so in a desperate attempt to make people read things I'll actually quote from the article I linked to: "Boris Johnson’s most powerful political aide pressed the U.K.’s independent scientific advisers to recommend lockdown measures in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus, according to people familiar with the matter... According to two people involved, Cummings played far more than a bystander’s role at a crucial SAGE meeting on March 18, as the panel discussed social distancing options to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak. Speaking on condition of anonymity because the meetings are private, the people said Cummings asked why a lockdown was not being imposed sooner, swayed the discussion toward faster action, and made clear he thought pubs and restaurants should be closed within two days. They then were."<br /><br />So, all anon and so on, but if true... then he saved thousands of lives, etc etc. Not something you want to hear, I'd guess.<br /><br />Yes the eye-test stuff is pathetic. The blog-editing looks incompetent. The best defence I can come up with is something like: thinking it over (while quiet in Durham?), he realised he wanted to add that bit (I think it comes from text from an article linked from that post, anyway). Somewhat later - this weekend - he then forgot he'd updated it, and referred to it as a prediction. There's weeks in between, so it's not utterly implausible.<br /><br />> the sheer lack of any emotional intelligence in<br /><br />Pillorying people for lacking EI is silly.William M. Connolleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05836299130680534926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-78240135696162438592020-05-27T07:55:23.910+01:002020-05-27T07:55:23.910+01:00Well this is pretty stupid and weird:
https://www...Well this is pretty stupid and weird:<br /><br />https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52808059<br /><br />How did Cummings ever imagine no one would spot the changes? <br /><br />The way Cummings' Brexit campaign promoted the idea that UK's border would essentially be at Turkey (read also Syrian refugees) was reprehensible, and helped stoke fears. Maybe a little subtler than Farage's xenophobic poster, but not much.<br /><br />Does that merit the epithet 'evil'? I don't know, but the substance matters. It does seem to demonstrate a character that believes that ends (his ends) justify means. His blog edit as further evidence and his extruciating eye test excuse, add to an impression of someone who cannot be trusted.<br /><br />Add to that the sheer lack of any emotional intelligence in his handling of 'that' press conference, where there was absolutely no sign he understood the upset this has caused.<br /><br />And apparently, Boris Johnson believes him to be indispensible to the country (judging from communications being sent to Tory MPs)? Firstly, no one is or should be indispensible, and secondly, anyone can see that Johnson is deeply damaged by keeping him on, and if he really cannot imagine having a different team around him, sans Cummings, that is bizarre and worrying in itself.<br /><br />No wonder David Cameron reportedly described Cummings as a "career psychopath".Richard Erskinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489722240823843151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-89708801722505500012020-05-21T22:42:16.231+01:002020-05-21T22:42:16.231+01:00A sample of his evil: https://www.bloomberg.com/ne...A sample of his evil: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-28/top-aide-to-u-k-s-johnson-pushed-scientists-to-back-lockdown William M. Connolleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05836299130680534926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-87285051542525084812020-03-25T15:01:29.686+00:002020-03-25T15:01:29.686+00:00I try not to trust anyone on anything too much, so...I try not to trust anyone on anything too much, some are better than others though. It wasn't particularly the content of the long read, just its assault on my ears while out jogging, that prompted the post :-)James Annanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04318741813895533700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-71787789536927596762020-03-25T14:11:22.047+00:002020-03-25T14:11:22.047+00:00I don't think you can trust the Graun on the s...I don't think you can trust the Graun on the subject of DC.William M. Connolleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05836299130680534926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-62223703859475650552020-03-25T13:25:37.081+00:002020-03-25T13:25:37.081+00:00In a word...no. I was prompted to write this by li...In a word...no. I was prompted to write this by listening to a Guardian Long Read podcast, but the thoughts had been in my mind for a while. I have no idea what role if any he played in the covid debacle in particular, stories seem to put him on both sides...James Annanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04318741813895533700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-67606832470952701112020-03-25T13:17:59.774+00:002020-03-25T13:17:59.774+00:00> I know I haven't backed up any of this wi...> I know I haven't backed up any of this with references<br /><br />I haven't seen him saying / writing anything recently. Were you thinking of anything in particular?William M. Connolleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05836299130680534926noreply@blogger.com