You really don't need to justify yourself against knobheads like that.Thanks to you all for the comments. It is appreciated.
I really do get why some people think this is somehow an ego trip by me for posting data.
But they are wrong. As I have said many times the day is coming when it will not be something we do as we will choose to live with Covid and will need to sideline numbers because they will only get in the way of doing that.
More and more people will drift away from this thread. That will be a good day. I will very much welcome it. As I suspect will most here. But whilst there are still briefings and committees and threats of further restrictions the data will still be out there and debated in the media daily and reported often with their own agenda.
I started doing this in Spring 2020 because I was alerted to the excellent data Gelson's Dad was posting every day. He got driven off here then at the start of this pandemic and never returned. I have no idea why at that time when we were in a huge mess anyone would not want to see the data and decide for themselves rather than be told what it means by whatever media source you happened to follow. But I just took over doing what he was doing because I missed the raw numbers.
There truly has never been anything else to it but that. I have no need to chase followers or publicity. Indeed I actively avoid it. As those who know me understand.
As a writer I have worked with and for the media much of my life. Been employed by both ITV and BBC to do so on projects also. I know their agenda all too well. Been at the sharp end of it more than once in the press despite not being remotely famous as they can and do spin stories as they see fit. So I know the importance of facts over spin.
If I was interested in some kind of self promotion or glory I would be giving my real name and it might even sell a few more books. But I have deliberately avoided doing that as my only intention was to offer up the numbers in the way Gelson's Dad was prevented from doing. I do not want to be part of the story. Just the poster of numbers because I happen to have the time to do this. Which most other people who are younger than me or have ties that I no longer do will have.
When enough people drift away or it becomes obvious the time is right to stop paying daily attention to the numbers I will know it is time to stop posting them.
Or indeed if I am asked to do so by those left on here I will do the same. I have more books to write (indeed just got the proof copy of one I managed to write despite apparently spending all day every day on here posting earlier this year). And I write every month for a newsstand magazine. These are on subjects about as far removed from Covid as you can imagine.
I will be delighted to get back to that and never have to think about Covid again. That day is coming. And the sooner the better for me as well as I am sure most of you.
These are my sentiments exactly, almost word for word how I feel on the matter.Playing Devil’s advocate, and this is just my opinion and of course I understand if people want to dismiss my comments with a jibe, but….
Personally, I think we are now beyond the point where we need the breakdowns of regional figures, splits within Greater Manchester, regional splits for hospitalisation etc etc.
@Healdplace has done a remarkable job over the last 12/18 months in keeping us updated, I personally still pop into this thread every day to glance read, I feel I’ve moved on from being “addicted” to this thread, but I do think that people don’t take as much notice of the split figures as they used to, certainly no one comments about them.
We are going to be living with covid for a while, maybe forever, and just a nice set of daily stats on the various headline figures, including obviously a country split etc, would be all that i think is now required.
Anyway, just my 2p’s worth.