This morning.

Covid response critic Ivor Cummins reviews yesterday’s debate between Tim Martin (top left), CEO of Wetherspoon pub chain and Prof Sam McConkey, Head of the Department of International Health and Tropical medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons, on Claire Byrne Live on RTÉ Radio One.

Under discussion: true mortality rates and just who on earth is John Ioannidis?

Meanwhile…

Quarter of Covid deaths not caused by virus, new figures show (Daily Telegraph)

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52 thoughts on “Morto

    1. Micko

      What did you disagree with in the vid?

      Again, I’m no fan of Ivor. But McConkey is talking through his butty butt bum.

        1. Micko

          Yes formerly.

          I skimmed that page there from Peter Doherty.

          It’s mostly just facts. And I would have nothing to disagree with there.

          He even goes onto say that younger people are more protected from Covid.

          Which is exactly what Cummins is saying in the vid.

          But, you’d know that if you watched it.

          “A proportion of people, especially older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions develop severe pneumonia, and over 1,406,283 people have died. Surprisingly, for unknown reasons, younger people appear to be more protected, which is similar to a trend observed during the 2003 SARS epidemic”
          Peter Doherty.

          1. Formerly known as @ireland.com

            Thanks, Micko.

            Why would I watch a crank when I can get advice from a Nobel Laureate?

  1. Cian

    “Quarter of Covid deaths not caused by virus, new figures show (Daily Telegraph)”

    This is a really, really misleading.headline.
    1. This is only looking at deaths in Week 13.
    2. There were only 349 official “Covid deaths” in week 13
    3. there were 400 deaths registered with Covid somewhere on the death cert; 308 of these it was the primary cause “from covid”, 92 as a secondary cause “with Covid”
    4. So of the 349 official deaths, 302 were “from Covid” and 47 (13%) were “with Covid”

  2. ian-oG

    Just noticed a twittering from Ivorian where he references something as being ”super-salient”.

    D’oh. Something is either salient or it is not salient.

    There are no degrees with that word, its already a denotation of a superlative. Its like saying the ‘biggest, biggest’ or possibly like saying you are super dead.

    You are either salient or dead or biggest, you cannot be super salient, super dead or super biggest.

    Morto indeed.

    Tune in next week for more pedantic takedowns of self appointed ‘experts’.

    ;)

  3. Rob_G

    A debate between professor of public health, and a pub landlord – Jesus Christ, RTÉ are a disgrace.

  4. Bitnboxy

    “Covid response critic Ivor Cummins” – ROFL!

    Bull. More like “Self-righteous nincompoop keen to scam a few bob out of the gullible and guileless’.

    1. Cui Bono?

      He’s been right more than wrong over the last year so fair play to him. Completely vindicated at this stage.

      He’s only sharing the data. The raw data doesn’t lie.

      1. Bitnboxy

        Cummins will certainly share the data “for a fee”. Don’t know where you are getting the “more wrong than right” line.

        Needless to say, beware of Cummins and his “two-a-penny shout the loudest” ilk. The world is now choc-full of modern day soothsayers, like Ivor.

        1. Cui Bono?

          I haven’t paid a penny to him.

          He has many haters because the truth hurts and they can’t admit they’ve been fooled.

    1. Daisy Chainsaw

      He’ll be the anti lockdown mob’s new saviour. Tory Brexiteer Pub Landlord probably watched the same you tube videos as the conspiraloons so they feel an afinity with him.

    2. U N M U T U A L

      Scottser, why indeed…
      wasn’t there a viscous rumour going at the time of Golfgate, that some spoonbenders were over for a round or two.?
      Tim mentions Ivor, Sam disagrees, Claire shuts it down…lock Inn licence extension. Pub Grubbing at its finest… Now there’s a crazy coincidence theory for ya!

  5. GiggidyGoo

    ‘I have to discount everything that has been brought to my attention in that presentation, regardless of its accuracy, because Ivor Cummins presented it’ – that’s the line so far in the comments here. I don’t see anyone arguing with the content of the presentation.

    I saw Ioannidis on UK TV yesterday being interviewed. I’ve never seen McConkey being interviewed anywhere apart from RTE which gives him a platform despite the inaccuracies he’s responsible for. Claire Byrne should hang her head in shame to be associated with the type of lack of research that RTE does. or does she do it herself?
    Beggars belief that herself and McConkey say that they haven’t heard of Ioannidis. Time to cut both of them loose from this charade.

    The Unclaire Byrne show.

      1. Cui Bono?

        Ivor’s only sharing the raw data.

        It’s got nothing to do with him. It’s just data.

        1. ce

          “raw data” which means it’s useless, all data must be interpreted, with all the problem that will go along with interpretations

          1. Cui Bono?

            No, I disagree.

            If X amount have died in Ireland and Sweden and it’s within the normal range then covid is not the “Spanish flu” type virus we all feared back in March 2020.

            The models that put us all into lockdown in the first place have been proven to be completely wrong.

            Case closed.

            Time to accept it and open up society.

          2. ce

            Models are certainly always imperfect – now let’s imagine that we had no restrictions here, not in Sweden, what would our death rate be? That would include higher rates of transmission, plus regular flu deaths – as flu was not an issue this winter – more road deaths etc. etc. etc. So the lockdown has significantly reduced death rates in Ireland. Simply saying we the same amount of people have died in died in Ireland and Sweden… which they haven’t … but let’s just say they have for the sake of argument… that doesn’t mean that therefore the same thing would have happened in Ireland. We’ve maintained a normal-fish death rate because of the action taken… and if we didn’t mess up the nursing homes at the start we’d have a significantly lower death rate… just like Sweden… Case is very much dependent.

          3. Cui Bono?

            Ireland would have had the same amount of deaths without lockdown because lockdowns do nothing to stop covid. Also, there was more road accidents and deaths in 2020 than 2019.

            92% of covid deaths are in the over 65s and if we consider only deaths per over 65s Sweden actually had lower mortality than Ireland.

    1. Tony

      ‘I have to discount everything that has been brought to my attention in that presentation, regardless of its accuracy, because Ivor Cummins presented it’

      In fairness Giggs, Cummins is well known as an attention seeking quack.

      Also John Ioannidis is a thoroughly discredited attention seeking quack.

      Also this is a post by Bodger.

      Bodger

      So unless you’re already a fan of Cummins and Ioannidis and the views of the COVID- denying posse (to which they are entitled) listening to this kind of stuff would only give you a pain in the swiss

      ;)

      1. GiggidyGoo

        Compelling arguments there Tony.

        “Cummins is well known as an attention seeking quack.
        Also John Ioannidis is a thoroughly discredited attention seeking quack.
        Also this is a post by Bodger.”

        I don’t see where the subject matter of the presentation has been discounted though.

        1. Tony

          Fair play Giggs. I’m just saying those are some reasons people don’t bother with this kind of content.

          1. Cui Bono?

            It’s just the usual ad hominem attacks.

            Data is data, no matter who is sharing it.

            Most are too proud to admit that they’ve been fooled over the last year.

      2. Micko

        Tony, a quack? Really?

        Before COVID-19, Ioannidis was extremely well respected. Just skim his wiki page https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ioannidis

        So looks like what we have here is a case of him disagreeing on Covid and all of a sudden he’s discredited?

        There’s a bang of Dr Martin Feeley off this.

        Disagree with the groupthink and you’re out on your botty.

        In 2010, David H. Freedman in The Atlantic stated in a special edition about “Brave Thinkers” that Ioannidis “may be one of the most influential scientists alive.”

        Far from a quack

    2. Gavin

      Its just shocking, the equivalent of sticking your fingers in your and screaming la la la…..He’s just presenting facts and figures the majority of which come from the CSO and are available for anyone, what you take from it is up to you.

  6. Charger Salmons

    Good lad is Timbo.
    Serves a decent pint of London Pride and the Plum Porter is exceptional.
    Can’t say I’ve ever eaten in one of his hundreds of establishments but I’m told it’s hearty fare and very reasonably priced.
    And, of course, he was as sound as a pound on Brexit.
    He’s like Michael O’Leary but with much better customer service.

    1. ian-oG

      I wandered into the one up near the Irish Life building. Lovely place but zero atmosphere and the food wasn’t great at all.

      Great beer though, but won’t be back, too much like a school canteen for my liking.

      1. Charger Salmons

        Well there are 900 Wetherspoons so they have something for all tastes.
        Some are grotty but others are the best pub in town, often in unconventional makeovers like banks and cinemas.
        Timbo is a sound feller – regularly arrives unannounced in his pubs and calls a few pints to check on quality.
        You’ll often find me in the one in Terminal 2 when I’m passing through LHR.
        Marvellous™

        1. ce

          Just to repeat –

          I thought you were a man of exceptional means and taste Charger – no Laphroaig 30 year or even a bit of Kurayoshi – now all of this is making me doubt your sincerity… maybe you’re not an international business magnate… how could you lie to us all!

        2. ian-oG

          Wasting your money with most 30 year old whiskeys ce, after about 21 years you are not really adding much more to the finish. Not in all cases mind, some older whiskies do indeed benefit from those extra years but in my experience the best Laphroaig is a 25 year old. Less than half the price and there is very little difference in taste and certainly not enough to be paying that much extra.

          I’ve not tried Kurayoshi as of yet but based on my previous experiences of other Japanese whiskies of all levels I’d be keen to give it a go.

          1. ce

            It’s not about the mone,y it’s about the status… and I’m afraid that frankly Charger is just not upholding them, which is just disturbing, he’s shopping in Aldi with the rest of the plebs, how are we to take him seriously!

            I actually don’t drink Whisky… for the record… more of a bathtub-methylated-spirits kind of person myself

        3. GiggidyGoo

          Passing through after parking your car on a public street in Slough to avoid the (cheaper when compared to the parking fines) airport parking fees.
          Good man Walter.

      2. Fergalito

        Hum of the super pub of the 1990s about the Irish Life proximate one.

        Anyone who experienced that technicolor puke stain on the cultural landscape at the time knows there’s a square footage outside of which it is never possible to be a proper boozer.

        Shivering at the thoughts of them. The horror.

    2. ce

      Classy joints altogether…can’t wait until they Starbucks the crap out of everything and the devolution and death of character in urban areas continues… Neat Johnnie Walkers (the finest blended cough sirup) all round…huzzah!

      I thought you were a man of exceptional means and taste Charger – no Laphroaig 30 year or even a bit of Kurayoshi – now all of this is making me doubt your sincerity!

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