Nice People 12: Nice in Nice

Generali

Hockey for me. I've not played for decades although I did quite enjoy it.

@lemonjelly - yup, I get it.

LydiaJ

PasturesNew wrote: »

At a cost, so it becomes something that's not worth doing.

If you really really hate the taps, then replace them. Yes, it will cost a little money, but you will be able to use the sink without being infuriated every time.

Spirit wrote: »

I feel so well at present, it is fabulous. Even staying on top of chores. It really is helping that I have cut down on working, especially as it is so hot. That I am actively taking myself the beach so that I cannot 'do' things is part of it, but as a family we all feel life is better because I have a bit more energy and less constraints.

This is why you must stay at the lower level of workload. Please?

Nikkster wrote: »

I've been out for an afternoon/ evening in the NP Hertland (St. A). Nothing too raucous. And lots of sitting down as it was hot, hot, hot and we were both tired, tired, tired.

We were both...?? Who was the other part of the "we"?

LydiaJ

lemonjelly wrote: »

No, there is a different reason to this.
FC123 would've known.
Generali may, as may LIR.
Doozergirl should get it instantly.

Me too.

Just logged on to online banking. Cheque is showing there, but not "available" yet.

ukmaggie45

PasturesNew wrote: »

"huge bleach/water stain covering the whole of the top"

Oh Pastures, so sad to hear that. Fingers crossed you can find something as nice at your next charity shop opportunity.

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Headstone Manor last Sunday

Oh wow, that really took me back! :rotfl: We lived in North Harrow till I was 12 when we moved to West Kirby (boo hiss spit!). We used to go and feed the ducks in the moat when I was little. Mostly after lunch on Sunday... But since it was a Sunday I wasn't allowed to play on the swings in the playground. Even when it wasn't Sunday I wasn't allowed to go on the slide, or the witches hat roundabout. I led a very over conventional (Victorian even) and over protected childhood. No wonder I lied through my teeth to my parents once I became a teenager! :eek: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Time for a quiz:

http://www.playbuzz.com/larak10/what-country-in-the-world-best-fits-your-personality

I got France.

I got France too. Given I hated French lessons in school, hated the language, I was a tad surprised. I think it was because I'm interested in Art (and art too).

ukmaggie45

Thought in view of the ongoing discussion about Ebola I'd recommend ProMED-mail to you all. Free to subscribe and get latest on all outbreaks of disease, in humans, animals and plants. :eek:

Here's the latest update I had from them about Ebola:



EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE - WEST AFRICA (102): NIGERIA, SIERRA LEONE, DRUGS,
VACCINE
******************************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org&gt;
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org&gt;

In this posting:
[1] Nigeria: fatality
[2] Sierra Leone: official report
[3] Experimental drugs, vaccines

******
[1] Nigeria: fatality
Date: Fri 25 Jul 2014
Source: Linda Ikeji's Blog [edited]
<http://lindaikeji.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/liberian-man-infected-with-ebola-virus.html&gt;


According to reports, [PS] died yesterday night [24 Jul 2014] at the
First Consultant Medical Centre, Obalende, Lagos where he'd been
receiving treatment. His condition was said to have worsened.

[PS], who was an official of the Liberian Ministry of Finance, arrived
in Nigeria on [Sun 20 Jul 2014] for a conference.

--
Date: Sat 26 Jul 2014
From: Oyewale Tomori <oyewaletomori@yahoo.com> [edited]
Cross-posted from
<nigerianbiomedicalandlifescientists@yahoogroups.co.uk>


To get to Obalende, Ikoyi from the airport, you have to pass through
Ikeja, Yaba, Lagos, see <http://mapq.st/1nrFW6L>, and now it is
essential that tracing all who had contact with the case is rapidly
and efficiently done.

We are not out of the woods yet, until we cross the time covering
exposure/contact and incubation period of the disease.

One aspect we miss out ...did the flight come direct from Liberia or
were there stops on the way say Lome, etc.? And who had contact with
[the Liberian]? We need to contact other countries where ASKY
[Airlines] might have landed and is still landing. I hear also about
other airlines -- Arik does direct Abuja-Monrovia-Freetown flights. So
we must also mount our surveillance not only in Lagos, but also in
Abuja, not forgetting the Idi-Iroko Seme border.

Another point which made me proud of this issue was the laboratory
support within the country. The lab in LUTH [Lagos University Teaching
Hospital] under Prof Omilabu received samples on 22 Jul 2014 and the
next day provided results of a pan-filovirus-family diagnosis. Samples
were also sent to Prof Happi's lab at the Redeemer's University late
on 23 Jul 2014. The Happi team worked and tested for both
pan-filovirus and specific Ebola-Zaire and Ebola-Sudan viruses, and
early on 25 Jul 2014 confirmed the isolate as a strain of Ebola-Zaire.
Later WHO sent samples to Dakar [Senegal, Institut Pasteur] and it was
again confirmed as an Ebola-Zaire isolate. I hear the RUN lab will
commence sequencing studies pretty soon. My congratulations to our
colleagues in LUTH and RUN for a great job.

--
Prof Oyewale Tomori
The Lord's Cruse
Akobo, Ibadan 200222
PO Box 14232, UI Post Office, Ibadan 200284
Oyo State
Nigeria
<oyewaletomori@yahoo.com>

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Nigerian health minister Onyebuchi Chukwu was reported as saying "We
have already got in touch with all the passengers." See ProMED-mail
archive 20140726.2636095.

With regard to this imported case in Lagos, Nigeria, "'The Liberian'
was quarantined on arrival and had not entered the city, a Nigerian
official told Reuters."
(<http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/25/us-heath-ebola-nigeria-idUSKBN0FU1LE20140725>.
I misconstrued that statement in my comment on ProMED-mail post (101)
archive no 20140726.2636095, to mean he never left the airport.
However, he was quarantined at a hospital in Ikoyi and never "entered
the city". Nevertheless, people who touched him at the airport and on
the way to the hospital will have entered the city to go home.

Congratulations to Nigerian labs on their expertise! - Mod.JW

******
[2] Sierra Leone: official report
Date: Fri 25 Jul 2014
Source: Ministry of Health and Sanitation [MOHS], Sierra Leone via
SUBMIT INFO tab at top of ProMED-mail home page [edited]
<http://promedmail.org&gt;


Ebola [virus disease] outbreak update

---

As of today, 25 Jul 2014, we have a cumulative total of 116 survivors,
450 confirmed Ebola virus disease [EVD] cases and 152 Ebola confirmed
deaths; 73 patients are currently admitted at the EVD treatment
centers in Kenema and Kailahun.

His excellency the president of the republic of Sierra Leone, Dr
Ernest Bai Koroma, today [25 Jul 2014] called an emergency DEPAC
[emergency presidential development partnership committee] meeting of
all development partners to discuss the current EVD outbreak in the
country and to present them his government's new strategy to end the
disease within the next 60 to 90 days. In that meeting, the president
informed the partners of his government's decision to intensify
activities and interventions in containing the disease and stopping
its spread. The president further informed partners that he has
established a presidential taskforce to serve as an oversight for all
EVD implemented activities. The taskforce, which will be chaired by
him, will comprise all cabinet ministers and key stakeholders directly
dealing with activities geared towards stopping the spread of the
disease in the country.

The EOC [Emergency Operations Center ] wishes the general public and
all partners working in the healthcare sector to know that Dr Sheikh
Umar Khan is still stable and responding well to treatment.

--
Sidie Yahya Tunis
Director, Information Communication Technology (ICT)
Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone
<tunis@health.gov.sl>

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[The full report may be seen on the MOHS Facebook page at
<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ministry-of-Health-and-Sanitation-Sierra-Leone/281064805403702>.

I'm afraid the government of Sierra Leone is over-optimistic that it
will be able to end the EVD epidemic in the next 2-3 months. Getting
community cooperation is very difficult. Years ago, when I was in CDC,
I tried to get the government of Puerto Rico to eliminate dengue from
Puerto Rico by mobilizing the public to get rid of mosquito breeding
on their properties, but was told by householders, "You gringos think
we are stupid! Those worms wriggling in the rain barrel won't turn
into mosquitoes!" They have had annual epidemics of dengue there every
year since. - Mod.JW]

*******
[3] Experimental drugs, vaccines
Date: Wed 9 Jul 2014 [still very relevant]
Source: City News, Toronto, The Canadian Press report [edited]
<http://www.citynews.ca/2014/07/09/ebola-outbreak-not-right-for-testing-experimental-vaccines-drugs-experts&gt;


Ebola virus disease [EVD] outbreak not right for testing experimental
vaccines, drugs: experts

---

The largest Ebola outbreak in history is defying the containment
efforts of affected countries and international response teams,
leading to calls from some quarters to use experimental drugs or
vaccines to try to stop the deadly virus. But a number of experts --
including the scientist who led the work on a Canadian-made Ebola
vaccine -- say deploying untested tools in the current West African
outbreak could be disastrous.

They say taking such a risky gamble could further erode local trust in
the response teams, undermine their efforts, and even endanger them.
And if anyone were to have a bad reaction to one of the experimental
therapies, it could jeopardize years of expensive and painstaking work
spent developing tools with which to fight Ebola and its cousin, the
Marburgvirus. "I get emails basically every 2nd day from someone
asking either 'Is there something that you're planning?' or 'Shouldn't
you?' And I know I'm not the only one getting those emails," says Dr
Heinz Feldmann, an ebolavirus expert who heads the laboratory of
virology at the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases' Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana.

While most of these discussions are happening within scientific
circles, the director of Britain's Wellcome Trust recently aired the
issue publicly. Dr Jeremy Farrar, an infectious diseases expert, has
questioned why the therapies that are furthest along in the
developmental pipeline aren't being used. He suggests if this outbreak
were occurring in the developed world, there would be no debate.
"Imagine if you take a region of Canada, America, Europe, and you had
450 people dying of a viral hemorrhagic fever. It would just be
unacceptable -- and it's unacceptable in West Africa," Farrar says.

He notes the Canadian-made Ebola vaccine -- a project Feldmann led a
decade ago when he worked at the National Microbiology Laboratory in
Winnipeg -- was released under emergency use provisions in 2009 when a
German researcher pricked herself with a needle containing ebolavirus.
She survived, but it was never clear if it was because of the vaccine
or because she was not infected. "We moved heaven and earth to help a
German lab technician. Why is it different because this is West
Africa?" Farrar asks.

A small community of researchers, mostly based in Canada and the USA,
has been working for years on vaccines and drugs to protect against or
treat these viruses, which are among the deadliest known to humankind.
The viruses are transmitted through contact with bodily fluids. People
caring for the dying -- or preparing their bodies for burial -- are
often infected. With little to offer medically, the main job of
response teams is to break the chains of transmission by figuring out
who is infected and isolating them. But these efforts are often met
with distrust. Rumours emerge that the Western doctors are harvesting
organs; people hide cases or flee -- extending the range of the
epidemic.

A number of vaccines are in various stages of development. Studies
done in non-human primates suggest they could both prevent illness and
improve survival chances [even] if given after infection. There are
also a number of therapies in the works, including antibody
combinations that look promising in animal testing. But the
researchers have always been stymied by the challenges of getting
regulatory approval for these interventions, which cannot follow the
traditional pathways to licensure. Most drugs or vaccines can only
make it to market once large scale studies show they are both safe and
effective. But the only way the world will learn if ebolavirus and
Marburgvirus vaccines and drugs work is by using them in an outbreak
-- a reality rife with ethical concerns and logistical problems.

In the current context, with response teams struggling to gain the
co-operation of fearful locals, word that experimental treatments were
to be used could further exacerbate an already taxing situation, says
Dr Armand Sprecher, of Medecins Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without
Borders). The organization warned recently that the outbreak was out
of control and said it [MSF] was stretched to its limits. "I would
hate to cause more problems than we solve in the short run," Sprecher
says. "Right now people are at their wits end just to deliver the care
that we're able to provide."

Dr David Heymann, a professor of infectious diseases at the London
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says after this outbreak is
contained, the WHO, ebolavirus researchers, the countries they work
in, and the countries which are prone to these epidemics need to sit
down and plan how they will deploy and test these therapies the next
time. They need to have the study protocols ready to be signed. "It
would be unethical to roll it out now, in my opinion," says Heymann, a
former assistant director general at the WHO and a member of the team
that responded to the 1st Ebola virus disease outbreak in 1976.
Feldmann agrees with Heymann's idea. Over the years he has been
frustrated by the inability to get these needed tools approved. But he
says he has been persuaded by friends working on the current response
that using untested and unlicenced medical interventions now would be
a mistake.

One was blunt about how badly awry such an effort could go. "He said
'Anything injectable would be a disaster.' He thinks the rumour that
we're just spreading the disease is going to be out there before we
even start," Feldmann says. "I think as bad as it sounds -- and I
really don't feel good about saying this -- I have the feeling they
have to find a way to end this one without (experimental) therapy."

[byline: Helen Branswell, Canadian Press]

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall

[It is unfortunate that it is not advisable to test experimental drugs
and vaccines for ebolaviruses during this outbreak, but given the
levels of fear and mistrust of both government and foreign
intervention in the region, it is understandable. - Mod.JW]

[See Also:
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (101): Nigeria ex Liberia, WHO,
Sierra Leone 20140726.2636095
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (100): Cote d'Ivoire,Tanzania,
Nigeria alerts 20140724.2633437
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (100): Cote d'Ivoire,Tanzania,
Nigeria alerts 20140724.2633437
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (99): WHO, Sierra Leone, Liberia
20140724.2632442
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (98): Nigeria susp, alert
20140724.2632831
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (97): Sierra Leone, Liberia, tests
20140723.2630441
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (96): Liberia, Sierra Leone
20140723.2628773
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (95): FAO alert, Sierra Leone
20140722.2626215
Ebola virus disease - Congo DR: susp 20140721.2624831
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (94): Sierra Leone 20140720.2623966
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (93): Sierra Leone, WHO underfunded
20140719.2622727
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (92): Sierra Leone, drugs, EU
disease ctr. 20140718.2620802
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (91): WHO, Guinea,Sierra
Leone,Liberia, border 20140717.2618525
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (90): Sierra Leone, Ghana meeting,
historical 20140716.2615640
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (89): WHO update, Sierra Leone,
Liberia, risk 20140715.2613043
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (88): WHO, Liberia, prevention,
challenges 20140713.2607118
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (87): Liberia, Sierra Leone, MSF,
drugs, vaccine 20140712.2605570
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (86): WHO, UNSC, ECOWAS, Guinea,
Liberia 20140711.2603448
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (85): Guinea, Liberia, region
20140710.2601330
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (84): WHO update 20140708.2596192
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (83): Ghana susp, Guinea, S. Leone,
Liberia 20140708.2593018
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (82): Guinea, prevention, Tanzania,
UK 20140706.2591433
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (81): Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia,
overseas 20140705.2589463
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (80): WHO update, meeting
20140704.2587114
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (79): Guinea, Nigeria prevention,
drug testing 20140703.2586162
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (78): Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia
20140702.2583396
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (77): WHO, meeting, Sierra Leone,
Liberia 20140701.2579682
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (74): CDC summary 20140626.2566502
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (73): WHO update, Sierra Leone
20140625.2566397
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (72): WHO update 20140624.2562337
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (71): Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria
serology 20140622.2558446
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (70): Sierra Leone, Liberia, travel
advice 20140621.2556770
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (69): Guinea, Sierra Leone, region
20140621.2555351
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (68): Liberia, One Health approach
20140619.2553035
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (67): WHO update, Liberia, Sierra
Leone 20140618.2550323
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (66): Liberia (Monrovia), Sierra
Leone 20140617.2547352
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (63): Sierra Leone 20140613.2538970
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (58): Sierra Leone, challenges
20140607.2526192
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (57): WHO update, challenges
20140607.2525234
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (56): Sierra Leone, Liberia, WHO
20140604.2518983
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (55): MSF report, Sierra Leone
20140603.2517388
Ebola virus disease - West Africa (54): WHO update, Sierra Leone
20140603.2515262
and earlier posts beginning with
Undiagnosed viral hemorrhagic fever - Guinea (02): Ebola conf.
20140322.23496]
.................................................jw/mj/sh
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Masomnia

I got France. Not really surprised by that.

Doozergirl

When you think your husband is fast asleep in bed, then a rousing chorus of Erasure starts up from the karaoke happening at the house next door...

Three songs in a row and counting. All gay anthems.

Generali

Dubai for me. Weird.

CKhalvashi

PasturesNew wrote: »

It's nice having one... but it's annoying when it's in the wrong place. They're quite overly large in new builds..... when houses are smaller the required downstairs disabled access friendly size + the size of stairs really eats into your floorspace.

The stairs can be a problem in larger, older properties too.

I'd love to put a loo in the downstairs of our house (and probably would have if we weren't selling it at the moment), but despite seemingly having a lot of space, due to the layout it's virtually impossible.

Generali

The Generalissimos went to a rock climbing party today. The Girl was particularly good at it to the extent that I think she'll take it up for the summer.