Due to circumstances involving a desire to travel out of the country in the near future and anticipating it as a requirement, I went and got vaccinated like STEVE SMITH…
This is my review Russian Circles Black Pilsner:
My problem is I happen to donate blood on a regular basis and I when I asked how the vaccine would affect my donation schedule, the answer was I needed to wait two weeks after. Their rules are the same as any other vaccine, and it won’t affect the next one in August. So I waited a few weeks and fielded a few patronizing comments from people without a background in hard sciences after the state made it available to people my age in order to accommodate a donation. Meanwhile I got an email from my doctor’s office saying they had Moderna in stock. Not surprising a family practice would get their hands on it, given how quickly they managed to microchip people in AZ.
Which brings me to my new gym. I still hate it but they only ask I put a mask on when entering and exiting the building; presumably to maintain appearances. Once I sign in nobody cares and I lock mine up with my keys. I have noticed who does and does not wear at the gym:
Weight machines? ≈40% wearing
Free weights? ≈40% wearing
Olympic Weight platforms ≈0% wearing
”Practical” fitness area ≈0% wearing
Various cardio machines ≈40% wearing
They do have a heavy bag that I use in a fenced off area lined with fake grass. People using that area are in the 20% range…most use the fake grass for yoga so they especially hate me ruining the energy. Make of my observations as you will.
In the future, we will all be Cobra Commander
It comes to mind because there have been a few concessions from places you might not expect about masks. For example, (TW: Slate) published this about wearing masks outside. However irritating the article might be in recognizing the minimal risk a year later, the comments suggest their reader base will continue wearing them for various reasons. Some even see a market opportunity with this group.
I can entertain the argument there is no non-Orwellian way to confirm if people are vaccinated, therefore there may be no way around placating to the mob’s fear. I can also consider measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A/B/C, polio, and meningitis are either more contagious or deadly than COVID and people have to take it on blind faith I am vaccinated against them as well.
Others noted this is due to masks being a symbol of cult behavior (TW: ZeroHedge). This viewpoint is only reinforced by the existence of Halal compliant surgical masks. Ultimately, the writer laments the COVID cult got a hold of greater culture. This suggests that being anti-mask is the cult given the way one can look at say, Heaven’s Gate from the outside and confirm they are not part of the cult because the greater culture confirms their bias.
Whatever one might think of the efficacy or wisdom of the general population wearing masks, hopefully we try not to descend further into absurdity, and blind ourselves to the fact a vaccinated person has an infinitesimally small chance of spreading a virus to which they are immune. After all, I’ve donated blood regularly since I was 16 and still have not given anybody hepatitis…
…yet.
So a black Pilsner.. is it Black pilsner? Whatever, Black Pilsner. How is this supposed to work if Pils are clearly yellow except this one has to be different? Is this yet another example of dark beer appropriating light beer and light beer culture? Its a bit odd, but both styles being lagers it is not far off from a standard Bock like Shiner, except its hopped more like a Pils. The result is in essence a hoppy bock. Russian Circles Black Pilsner: 3.0/5
Speaking of superstitious nonsense- anybody have any experience with the plastic spit shield masks? As in: being bitched at or forced to use an alternative.
I know a woman (from California) who wears one, and it’s even dumber and more useless than the single layer train robber mask the bartender wears (and incessantly fiddles with).
Yes, I have seen them in the wild. Uberidiotic. Nobody anywhere will ask you to mask up here anymore. It has moved to do it if you want. Around here I would say 80% of folks are done with the charade except employees who work at the places that still require employees to wear them (Walmart, chain grocers, chain convenience stores, Hdepot). I still occasionally see a broken soul driving down the road alone in their car wearing a mask. Those people are lost and the state has so broken them they will never come back without serious intervention. They were probably broken souls prior to covid so fuck those people.
I’ve seen them in the wild as well. I’m not sure how many people are wearing them because they’re more comfortable or not.
Unfortunately, I still see the random person riding a bike or jogging through the parks wearing masks. We’ve still got a mandate in the state, but there’s a spectrum of places that go above and beyond (you want to take my fucking temperature to walk into your bar?) to those that have a sign up and that’s about it.
I was on a walk with my dog this morning and at a fork in the trail, I saw a couple walking on the trail I was going to take. The husband made a rather obvious show of pulling up his mask, even though we were way more than 6 feet apart. I didn’t have a mask with me since the dog is my social distancing so I took the other fork and did a different loop than the one I was intending.
Earlier in the walk a group of mountain bikers passed us, none masked or seeming to care we were unmasked too. As usual, the dog and I stop to let the bikers go by, and they usually just say hello and sometimes comment that the dog is beautiful. I’ve noticed a distinct dichotomy between bikers and walkers since about two weeks into the mask mandates.
Things have gotten bad when the better alternative is bikers.
The mountain bikers have surprisingly always been good people. There’s one older guy who remembers (and as recently as last summer asked me about it) that I used to walk my parents’ cairn terrier Molly out on the trails. Molly died at the end of 2006.
The only not-nice mountain bikers are the ones who have a dog with them, always off-leash. I probably only encounter one of those each season.
Hey!
We’re not all assholes.
About 90% of the people walking/jogging/cycling on the paths aren’t wearing masks at all. I don’t think I’ve seen a single road cyclist wearing a mask at all.
I wore them last fall for teaching. We were required to wear a face mask and I figured that something over my mouth was going to make it hard for students to understand me. So, I went with the plastic shield. Little weird and looked like a dork (well, more like a dork than normal), but I didn’t have that restricted breathing I feel with the face mask.
Old fella at the liquor store has a mask with a clear plastic middle. A bit odd-looking, but nice to see a mouth indoors again.
That was the breaking straw at my job for me : apparently the Quebec equivalent of OSHA now require us to wear both a mask and either a spit shield or safety googles if you have to be at less than 2 meters of your colleagues at work.
Not gonna wear that shit. I’ll take the government handout (which is more than what I was making) as I’m technically out of a job because of COVID yet still on the payroll, until I find something else to do.
Tried to find some research on the subject. Apparently, it actually lowers transmission a bit. The only explanation they found is that eye protection may keep people from putting their fingers in their eyes. I kid you know.
The government is now making sure you don’t put your dirty fingers in your mouth, your nose, or your eyes at work.
Previously it was just retired pilots.
Yesterday I saw a family in Costco wearing them. This includes their 2 year old. It’s hysterical. It’s an airborne virus. A face shield isn’t going to help.
This suggests that being anti-mask is the cult
Get on board, or get run over. Mobocracy defines culture.
The plastic spit shield masks-
Viz
This ferner kid has more masculine energy than the whole of DC combined.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spordcPhUik
Yep.
Reminded me of the many late Septembers when I was but a wee lad that me and some buddies from college/Uni would go camping during the weekends in Jasper. You’d arrive at your site in clear weather, rain would start about 9 o’clock in the evening, you’d roll into your sleeping bag in your tent and wake up the next morning to a foot of snow pushing in the sides and top of your tent (or you’d wake up to the tent collapsing on top of you, but that only happened once). I always insisted over the objections of my friends on bringing a Coleman stove; saved our breakfast plans more than once when the firewood was buried in wet snow.
I went snowshoe backpacking once, and boy was that both extremely tiring and beautiful. But the first thing you learn is to bring a piece of plywood about a foot square to use your stove on.
Also, buy a kid’s plastic flat-bottomed sled to pull your gear on instead of wearing a backpack. I did this the second time I went snowshoe camping.
I worked for a few years at some condos with a crawl space. This crawl space floor had a mud floor. This mud, which I had to, in places, army crawl through, was some alien creature that would cover a tool, the tool would touch another tool which was then instantly covered in the mud, and any tool touching that tool would become covered in this mud. I would put all of my tools on a plastic sled and drag it behind me as I army crawled through the crawlspace.
Reminded me of the many late Septembers when I was but a wee lad that me and some buddies from college/Uni would go camping during the weekends in Jasper.
You really should be back at school.
The closest I came to winter backpacking was that one time in August in the Presidential Range, on a trip from Crawford Notch to Pinkham Notch by way of Mt. Washington. We had an overnight snow on night 1 and had to wear socks on our hands because it was, you know, August, and we didn’t have winter gear. I know there’s pics of that trip somewhere at my Pa’s house.
Around here I would say 80% of folks are done with the charade
I am deeply disheartened by the ubiquity of masks around here.
The governor dropped the state mandate, but apparently some petulant bitch from the county wanted to stick his thumb in the evul Rethugitard Gianforte’s eye, and issued a decree that masks must still be worn. When Gianforte cancelled the mandate, a few people started showing up without.
I’m about the only person in town heartless and cruel enough to go grocery shopping unmasked, these days.
I used to see them when out on my walks.
They’ve been disappearing, and people don’t even bother to give my unmasked self a wide berth when passing. Business still enforce the illegal mandates out of fear of the government.
Speaking of, I’m out for a walk. Later, people.
I made my three miles.
You’re GlibFit.
That is disheartening. I have heard conflicting things. Both counties I frequent are in the “green Zone” on the ambiguous Covid dial which moves those counties to local control for health orders, and then the dial was done away with completely yet the Gov supposedly issued a statewide enforcement order on indoor gatherings. From what I have seen everybody outside of national chains is ignoring it.The Gov made the rules and then changed them so most everybody around here has decided he is full of shit. 15 months late on the realization imho but I will take it.
I actually saw a couple in the grocery store unmasked on Thursday.
I also had a very human interaction at the supermarket on Tuesday. I was walking back to my car, and a little old lady who had a Jaguar in a disabled parking space asked me to help her put the heavy items in her trunk. Haven’t had anything like that since before the coronapanic started.
By coincidence I wound up following the lady out of the parking lot. She couldn’t be bothered to use turn signals. 🙂
Hope she got help with her burden at home.
She said one of her kids was at home to take the stuff out of the trunk.
I hope they refill her blinker fluid reservoir too.
Bitch don’t use her signals, bitch can lift her own bags!
Well, now he knows.
Yesterday I was outside my shop and there was a guy walking down the sidewalk, by himself, all masked up. When he got closer I could see his t-shirt said something to the effect of “I like sarcasm because it’s like beating people with words.” Perhaps he was wearing the mask sarcastically. But I never found out, because he crossed the street before he got to me.
Why’d the smart ass cross the road? He was afraid of the vocabulary on the other guy!
Here in Iowa, at least the rural parts of Iowa I kind of feel like it’s been one of the control groups to demonstrate just how useless all this stuff has been.
I’ve been going to church weekly since last June and 99% of the people attending – 400 plus people – are doing so without wearing T-shirt scraps on their face.
Easter was festive, and folks were hanging out afterwards to talk and give hugs and handshakes. We’ve resumed the normal morning greeting.
Outside of church is a bit more mixed. Probably about 30% to 50% of people in Walmart are walking about without anything on their face, slightly higher percentage in other stores like the hardware stores where they’ve hardly cared at all.
Rarely do you see anybody with one walking around outside, Even last April when people could be forgiven for not knowing any better.
Here in Sodom on the Sound, about 7 of 10 bicyclists I see are wearing masks.
Isnt a black Pils a schwarzbier? So why not call it that?
Making it more accessible to those who hate ze Germans?
But most Pils are german. I mean, sure, not the czech ones, but we dont see many of rhose.
My neck of the woods has quite a few more Czech/Bohemian pils over German ones. Some of the breweries will even have two or three different pilsners on tap at a time.
Wouldn’t it depend on whether you consider Pilsen German or Plzeň Czech?
Shouldn’t it be a Pilsner of color anyway?
I find Scharzbier to be less delicate, and the malts are a bit more roasted. I stand behind my hoppy bock analogy.
Russian Circles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wDw-W9S0j4
!!
I still like Geneva best.
Around here, it’s how far you are away, metaphorically, from Portland. If you love that “lifestyle” then you are a masker. If not, then you, at most, have it covering your chin.
Like you, I have scheduled the Shot. Mostly for marital peace, as I initially told the wife that I will get one as soon as they say I can leave the mask behind as a reward. But, sometimes one needs to make sacrifices in the name of harmony. The sad thing is, my state is in a mild panic over the number of vaccine shots so far. Of course, they only granted those who are under a specific age/comorbidity/profession level access on Monday, so no real surprise there. But what is surprising is that my insurance or medical provider didn’t immediately contact me to say that I am now eligible and to schedule a time. I mean seriously, if they want people to do this, they need to both make it easy and make it worthwhile.
I am sure all the anti-vaxers in Portland are freaking out about TRUMP! being behind this is the issue, both coming and going, but, come on!
Re getting the vaccine for relationship harmony: that’s the only reason I got a vaccine for a disease that 99.97% of people survive.
I can also consider measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A/B/C, polio, and meningitis are either more contagious or deadly than COVID and people have to take it on blind faith I am vaccinated against them as well.
Prevaccine average and peak numbers:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/articlepdf/209448/joc70121_2155_2163.pdf
Tldr; they largely weren’t. Even smallpox is overestimated in popular memory.
The difference is covid ain’t all that dangerous for 99.5% of the people who get it. If we had just protected the obese elderly and let it flow through the populace, we’d have hit herd immunity early on and it would already have been a distant memory. But, the dems would have had a much harder time seizing power and the world would be less enamored of tyrannical government attempts to “save” us.
Neither were many/most diseases that now have vaccines, yet the belief of rampaging diseases persist. Just like FDR saved the country from the Great Depression with the New Deal and WWII.
I get your point and basically agree with you, but I just ask myself, would I rather have polio or covid. My great grandmother died from a basic infection that tetanus would have prevented. According to my grandmother anyway. Aside from that, all the other vaccines were fully sussed out before people started mainlining them en masse. This one is experimental.
Hmm. Fair enough, but they’re still taking it on blind faith I won’t give them hepatitis.
Perhaps he was wearing the mask sarcastically. But I never found out, because he crossed the street before he got to me.
You can’t be too careful. A single molecule is enough to kill you deader than common sense.
Either Mexican Sharpshooter’s kitchen counter is not level, or that glass is crooked.
Hmm, now I’m leaning (Ha!) towards the counter.
Yep. Definitely.
It’s Pheonix. The ground underneath is probably melting.
Or taking a picture that close allows for perspective distortion effects.
Sharpshooters tend to be fanatics about optics, so I’m still going with crooked house.
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IED3Q5VLeg&list=PLy4u88AKUauJwcYojhO8Qbs0OLhvwoxvE
Please include a level in your next photo, MS, so we can see how off plumb it is.
With the bubble?
He said PRECISION!
Or smartphone level feature, but then how will he take the picture?
No you see, it is ME that is not plumb.
Neither were many/most diseases that now have vaccines, yet the belief of rampaging diseases persist.
I remain convinced first world hygiene and sanitation have probably served us as well as “modern medicine”.
Speaking of cults and from the, “are you fucking kidding me” department of life, a political scientist has a new book out called Lenin Lives! It’s something of an alternative history and, apparently imagines what the world would be like if the socialists had won the day after 1917 and revolution had spread from Russia. Fair enough, interesting concept. But here are two blurbs:
“few seriously considered how the 20th century would have unfolded differently if the violent forces of counter-revolution and White terror had not crushed the Marxist dreams of a new future. What if the revolution had successfully spread to Western Europe and the United States of America? What would have happened if Rosa Luxemburg was not murdered by Freikorps thugs? What if the colonial empires had turned into non-racist mechanisms for egalitarian global development? …This counter-factual history plays out the consequences of a successful Russian and, more importantly, German Revolution. Cunliffe explores how not only politics and economics would have followed different historical trajectories (for example: no fascism!), but he also considers the environmental and scientific consequences of Lenin living just a little longer. Above all, Lenin Lives! is an exercise in historical empathy and social optimism. How would early 20th century Marxists have shaped the world had they not been subjected to generations of violent repression? Could they have built a better world?”
And:
“Lenin Lives! lays out a narrative account of how history might have happened differently if Lenin had lived long enough to see the global spread of the Russian Revolution to Western Europe and the USA. In one alternative world, instead of the grim authoritarian and autarkic states of the East, socialist revolution in the world’s most advanced economies ushers in an era of global peace, progress and prosperity, with global federations substituting for nation-states and international organisations. In keeping with the hopes of European revolutionaries of the time, the early achievement of socialism leads to a drastic improvement in human progress, economic growth, democracy and freedom at the global level.”
I assume this is, in addition to being an intellectual exercise, designed to provide an academic underpinning for modern-day socialism.
Yes it is. Top Men save the day is not an original thought. It is an exercise in fantasy.
Holy Mackerel! These people are tiresome. I love a good counter-factual postulation as much, or more, than anyone but the fact that this is not given the same short shrift as the Lost Cause view of the War of Northern Aggression, or the Jews stabbed us in the back narrative of the NSDAP is puzzling. Screw it! I’m all in on the Great Khan. I pledge my sword arm to the Lord Of All Who Live In Yurts. The Mongols cared not which deity one worshipped, only that one prayed for the Khan’s health while doing so.
If that one socialist hadn’t been murdered by thugs, just think how many others could have been murdered by socialist thugs!
Edward Bellamy wrote that book in 1887. It’s called Looking Backward.
LOLwut
This counter-factual history plays out the consequences of a successful Russian and, more importantly, German Revolution
And here I thought the socialists won in Russia and Germany.
Nah bro, it was coopted by kulaks and wreckers. They’ll get it right next time though.
To these people, it’s really as if the West is responsible for the all the deaths and suffering the communists countries brought on their own citizenry.
It’s impossible that their ideology has any flaws, only Uncle Sam.
You can’t argue with such dimwits.
Fantastical mental masturbation over a yearned for success of a political and economic system that cannot succeed. An interesting thought experiment if done right but hard pass.
“What if the colonial empires had turned into non-racist mechanisms for egalitarian global development?”
The idea that Marxism has ever been anything but vehemently rascist, is a masterpiece of historical editing. Eric Hoffer, of all people, believed that the Soviet Union didn’t have a racial problem.
We are watching an explicitly Marxist and racist organization take over American media, education, and corporations and people still don’t see it.
It is amazing.
How did Dorothy get back from Oz?
“I want to believe! I want to believe!”
socialist revolution in the world’s most advanced economies ushers in an era of global peace, progress and prosperity
????????????
Above all, Lenin Lives! is an exercise in historical empathy and social optimism. How would early 20th century Marxists have shaped the world had they not been subjected to generations of violent repression? Could they have built a better world?
My mother? Lemme tell you about my mother.
Well, one of our elderly friends is going for emergency surgery, and (from such of you as are praying types) I’d love some prayers that she gets a few more years on this globe.
My very best wishes.
Thank you.
I’m not really the praying type, but I do sincerely wish for the best here.
Sorry, I hope she pulls through.
I’m more the threatening type, but I’ll put in a word.
I find that threatening the divine has traditionally had poor outcomes.
I’m at a loss for all this. I was extremely skeptical of basically all the covid measures from the beginning. I’m willing to appeal to authority in an emergency, when there isn’t any real data. During a pandemic I’ll ask an epidemiologist their best guess when I’ve got nothing else. Okay, fine. But when the studies start rolling in that contradict the best guess, you modify your behavior in accordance with the actual data. I’ve recently (and not so recently) seen peer reviewed studies that don’t track with any of the big three measures taken, lockdowns, social distancing and masks. I just can’t figure out why anyone in their right minds wouldn’t think this is great news and amend the policies. I keep asking myself what’s in it for them.
You could say it was getting Trump out of office, but that doesn’t explain the rest of the world. Is it that people picked a side early and won’t be proven wrong at any cost? Is it that politicians like Fauci can’t accept being wrong? There’s no real (permanent) money or power to be gained. Or do some people just love being able to tell others what to do? (I’ve been leaning toward that one) But now I’m toying with a new thought:
What if the goal was to placate fears in the weak minded by giving them a way to help? It reduces panic. It makes people feel like they are helping end it faster. It keeps them from saying “the government did nothing to help” and it keeps them fighting with each other (non bleevers) rather than pointing fingers at the government.
That’s all I got. Thoughts? (sorry for the wall O text)
The moment it became a Team issue, the data only became relvant as cherry trees from which to pick.
My theory on the rest of the world following is that they are just giving us the lead. They’re like the little fish in the pond watching the big fish for cues. Once we decided to follow China’s lead, the rest of the countries didn’t want to end up getting wrecked because they didn’t do what we did. If the freest nation around goes full authoritarian, there can only be upsides to following suit.
Except Sweden. God bless Sweden
And Belarus apparently…
Italy started with lockdown before the US did.
Had America refused to lock down, many countries would have followed the American example. The Europeans kept their borders open but a day or two after Trump announced the ban on travel from Europe they imposed all sorts of travel bans.
Yep and it’s been a disaster as you well know. Trump should have gone with his gut on that one but that’s water under the bridge down the river and out to the ocean.
It turned into a handy cudgel against a world-wide rise in populism – Top Men were suddenly important again, so they’re going to keep stoking those fears as long as they can.
Trump was just one of many expressions of populist discontent.
I keep hearing great things about The Revolt of the Public, which people keep saying was prescient. I heard a good interview w/ the author on The Fifth Column a few weeks back.
404.
Whoops:
https://www.amazon.com/Revolt-Public-Crisis-Authority-Millennium/dp/1732265143/
Shall I find my data nevermore?
Quoth the server – 404.
And I see others are having the same thought.
So, I got that going for me, which is nice.
Oh, there won’t be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.
“It turned into a handy cudgel against a world-wide rise in populism….”
Yup.
I hope we get a forceful response from the populists.
The only thing I can think of is that there was an… outbreak, for lack of a better word, of populism all around the world; Modi, Bolsinaro, Brexit, the Yellow Vests in France, AFD in Germany, and so on. And the masks are a symbol of the “state” pushing back on that. Of Top. Men. being in charge and saving the day.
That is the only explanation that I can think of that fits the facts worldwide.
I find this credible.
And it sure seems to have worked. The world is back to business as usual, only harder.
Tom Woods interviews an Arizona sheriff who campaigned on not enforcing Covid restrictions (35 min):
https://youtu.be/5b_GVGg-AcQ
My sheriff is a pretty decent guy but this dude takes the cake.
Just listened to that. Ya, that dude is the awesome. What the world needs is more libertarian sherriffs.
I wonder how he squared the circle back when he was working for the DEA. We all have to compromise on our principles to get by in real life but Jesus…still a good guy though.
It’s possible that working for the DEA turned him libertarian.
Maybe, you see that a lot with ex military too.
I’m sipping a very nice local Dortmunder right now.
In one alternative world, instead of the grim authoritarian and autarkic states of the East, socialist revolution in the world’s most advanced economies ushers in an era of global peace, progress and prosperity, with global federations substituting for nation-states and international organisations. In keeping with the hopes of European revolutionaries of the time, the early achievement of socialism leads to a drastic improvement in human progress, economic growth, democracy and freedom at the global level.
He forgot intergalactic space travel. You know… “where no man has gone before”.
If he had thrown in Slavic ice queen wives for all the peasants I might be able to get on board but I’m afraid he lost me.
But when the studies start rolling in that contradict the best guess, you modify your behavior in accordance with the actual data.
Yes, exactly.
If the models had been so completely wrong BY ACCIDENT, they would have been corrected.
What if the goal was to placate fears in the weak minded by giving them a way to help? It reduces panic.
President Cartoon Villain was excoriated for explicitly saying he wanted to minimize broadly based fear and hysteria in the early stages.
He had only nefarious purposes in mind.
Shall I find my data nevermore?
Quoth the server – 404.
This white supremacist disinformation has been removed, for your protection, Citizen.
Move along.
“Tampa McDonald’s Exposes America’s Systemic Labor Shortage, Forced To Pay People $50 To Interview”
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/whatever-it-takes-tampa-mcdonalds-exposes-americas-systemic-labor-shortage-forced-pay
Well I’ll be.
The cause of the shortage is all the paying people not to work.
I have noticed who does and does not wear at the gym:
Weight machines? ≈40% wearing
Free weights? ≈40% wearing
Olympic Weight platforms ≈0% wearing
”Practical” fitness area ≈0% wearing
Various cardio machines ≈40% wearing
They do have a heavy bag that I use in a fenced off area lined with fake grass. People using that area are in the 20% range…most use the fake grass for yoga so they especially hate me ruining the energy. Make of my observations as you will.
Those percentages are far higher than what I see at my gym.
My gym insists on a mask in the lobby area and while entering and exiting the gym. Otherwise, they don’t care. The gym is in a municipality with a mask ordinance. The gym has signs up about the mask ordinance. “Masks required unless actively working out.” I can count on one hand with fingers left over the number of members wearing a mask past the lobby area. Low single digit percentages I’d say.
The governor’s business restrictions are in place until May 7th. Despite his lifting of his mask order, his business restrictions still require gym staff to wear masks. About half of the staff have stopped wearing masks.
I set up a lunch meet-up for a maskless group I’m a member of. I picked a restaurant in Manchester, NH. The business restrictions still in place require staff to wear masks. None of the staff wore masks. I was saddened to see a handful of customers walking around in the restaurant’s patio area while wearing masks.
I wore my “MY GOVERNOR IS AN IDIOT” t-shirt. Some folks at another table liked the shirt, though unfortunately they somehow got it in their head that I’m from Massachusetts. I do not and have never lived in Massachusetts.
Time to get a little yard work done.
Not sure how you use a cardio machine while wearing a mask.
half-heartedly.
I’ve seen it at gym.
Speaking of restaurants, do you know of any good ones within three hours of Albany where I can have a sit down meal and not have any worries about masks?
The Mask Map is a crowd-sourced resource listing what places require and don’t require masks. Judging by some of the reviews, both maskers and anti-maskers are writing reviews.
Manchester, NH is right on your limit. I will e-mail you, once I find your e-mail, the name of the restaurant we ate at.
There were places in Keene that were defying the city mask ordinance, but I don’t see them listed on The Mask Map, and I don’t know their current status. I also have not eaten at them so I can’t comment on whether or not they are good.
Thank you again.
You’re welcome!
I found your e-mail. E-mail sent.
Around here it seems like most people are wearing masks to avoid having Karen yell at them. If they figure out that Karen isn’t going to yell at them, they stop bothering with the mask. I’m seeing more and more people only putting on their mask when they have to interact with someone else, and even then there’s a little dance where they both try to figure out whether the other person wants them to mask up.
Yesterday I saw the silliest “mask” I’ve seen in a while – some woman at a brewery had her hoodie on backwards and pulled the hood up over her nose and mouth when she got to the bar to order. She didn’t bother pulling it up when she was in line talking to the rest of her group though, so maybe it’s a good sign? People aren’t bothering to make sure they have a couple of masks in their pockets at all times? Don’t know.
Also, update to my Branch Covidian story last night – the kids have another playdate at the park this afternoon, so apparently they’re starting to lighten up.
Everybody at my work, except for me, has mainlined the sacramental vax. They all keep dropping their masks. Funnily, the guy who was the most karen of them all about masks has only worn a super thin gaiter this whole time. Now, he rarely scoots it up. They are probably all just waiting for me to die from lack of vax. Meanwhile, the state and local government continues to mandate masks and stupid assed distancing decals on the floor.
At least the supermarket started allowing us to both enter and exit from either door. They were a one way in and one way out for most of the last year. It’s the little things, like slightly shorter bread lines or slightly fresher bread at them.
The chocolate ration has been increased to 25 grams!
That’s good news about your Branch Covidian friends.
Also, update to my Branch Covidian story last night – the kids have another playdate at the park this afternoon, so apparently they’re starting to lighten up.
I’ve caught up on old threads and just read the story.
Holy shit. I thought some of my relatives were insane.
I like that the kids have another playdate. You might be able to get through to your friends.
The cause of the shortage is all the paying people not to work.
I have been assured by a variety of expert economists that this is a myth.
People are just too sensible to willingly expose themselves to certain death by taking on employment which has the slightest risk of contact with other humans.
I wore my “MY GOVERNOR IS AN IDIOT” t-shirt. Some folks at another table liked the shirt, though unfortunately they somehow got it in their head that I’m from Massachusetts. I do not and have never lived in Massachusetts.
It’s always the other guy’s governor/congessman/dogcatcher/President who is an idiot. Funny how that works.
Not in my state. We’re mostly all good with calling Newsom a douchebag. I think 60 % of the signers of the recall petition were dems. Now let’s see if they will vote for a trans dude/woman who’s a republican. Personally, I think Bruce will make a good governor.
I think Newson will win any election easily.
Unfortunately I think the recall will fail. Having said that, I will vote for it. Jenner and anyone else not named Newsom or Satan can have my vote.
Well, he has until October to butter up his base. I still think that a recall draws mostly from anti incumbent voters. The question is, is there a better choice on the ballot? Who’s gonna turn out just to keep the sorry bastard that has screwed up almost everything he’s touched? He let the utility companies shut people’s power off just to avoid liability for the fires they create, long before the French Laundry debacle. Many voters have school aged children. Their kids are just now getting 2 hours of in school learning and many are still on zoom, just from the classroom. This guy is hated by everyone.
The Olympics says it will enforce the ban on political demonstrations by athletes. It seems the Americans had wanted an exemption, but won’t get one.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/tokyo-2020-protests-and-demonstrations-banned-at-olympics-as-rule-50-upheld/ar-BB1fVdJH
Should I be for or against the American athletes boycotting the Olympics?
[Shrugging emoji]
As long as I don’t hafta pay for it, IDGAF
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-olympic-sports-groups-seek-government-aid-11586689219
For what reason?
Personally, I think Bruce will make a good governor.
Judging by the steaming pile of vacuous platitudes in his statement the other day, I’d say he’s got some high level coaches.
So, they’re putting one of these monstrosities in right across the street form one of the skateparks I take my kid to. Luckily, it’s not the greatest as far as skating features go, but it is close and wide open with no rules whatsoever. No way in hell we’re gonna deal with a bunch of homeless whacko’s just to skate that rinky-dink little park. I can’t wait to see how the new media ignores all of the fires, stabbings and OD’s that’re gonna happen in these fucking shitholes.
Imagine that place filled with 200 homeless folks. That’s what Garcetti is imagining. I doubt it’s going to go how he thinks.
LOL it looks like a herd of porta-potties.
You ever consider moving to Torrance / RB or such? (SOW, where have the South Bay glibs been? And Pie.)
Nah, I live in Toluca Lake. This stuff’s close but not that close. I work at LAX, though, so the south bay would help my commute a whole bunch.
And you know that councilman Bonin is trying to do this exact same thing at Dockwieler, Will Rodgers and a couple of other beaches, right?
I hate to say it because it’s bad for you blackjack, but Los Angeles is getting exactly what it voted in. The lack of widespread protest/public dissatisfaction leaves me gobsmacked. But there it is. LA is determined to destroy itself. I can only hope it becomes a lesson to other areas.
Everything that gets voted in in modern America is voted in by 43%. The left cheats really effectively here, so they claim 60%, but about half or more of the people here do not and would not vote for this crap. Also, the POLs always lie about what they’re planning while campaigning. See: Joe Biden.
Knew about LAX; didn’t know latter, as I live two counties away, but I try to keep up with the headlines.
Even better if it doesn’t work. They’ll throw up their hands, say we tried, now we have to build real housing in existing neighborhood for the bums because those shacks are substandard. Rinse, lather, repeat. What they will never admit is it’s not the government’s business to provide X, Y, or Z.
Oh, in the little town I do my grocery shopping in (thanks land use planning!), I got to watch a bum work his crack pipe. Out in the open, in a little encampment next to a major intersection. They don’t care. Cops don’t care. City doesn’t care. Can’t wait for more of it.
It’s not working. A federal court judge just ruled LA has to provides shelter to all homeless people. I forget the time frame but I think it’s 180 days. We’ll see if LA appeals. It doesn’t matter. The governance is so bad the situation isn’t going to change.
Here‘s the vertical version of that in action.
I just think it’s funny that the politicians pea brains can’t even imagine what this place is going to look like the very next day after they fill it. It’s all shiny and colorful, neat and orderly. They expect the whack job winos to suddenly start respecting the place. It’s like they are not even trying to make sense with this bullshit.
Oh and, by the way, this site cost the taxpayers 5.2 million dollars. For 39 portapotty sized shacks. They already owned the land.
Fredi’s dead.
Behold Fredi’s spectacularly pervy performance at the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest.
(Warning: It’s decidedly not Nordic death metal.)
Apparently Fredi also represented Finland in 1967, back in the days when entries had to be sung in an official language of the country being represented.
The 1967 contest produced this song representing Luxembourg that you might recognize.
So if a country has multiple official languages, does the song have to switch back and forth? Or is that Canada?
Belgium and Switzerland, I believe, alternate from one year to the next which language the song is going to be in. Or did, now that the rules let everyone perform in English if they desire although some countries like France send singers in their official languages.
The restrictions were lifted permanently in the late 1990s, along with the three or four years in the mid-1970s. When ABBA won in 1974 with “Waterloo”, they performed at Eurovision in English, with the ridiculous conceit of having the orchestra conductor come out dressed as Napoleon. But when they entered the Swedish competition to pick the Eurovision entry, they performed in Swedish. Note Björn’s boots.
And they got a tax break for having ridiculous costumes (or recognizably theatrical, anyway).
Well, Vicky Leandros was a Greek woman singing in French, representing Luxembourg. There must have been some flexibility.
When I was a kid, I had a Jeff Beck album with that song as a rock instrumental.
Relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B6TKClPFQA
To belatedly weigh in on the dead thread about abortion:
Religion is basically a codified form of culture bthat metaphorically tells people, “Don’t reinvent the wheel, and don’t forget about the wheel altogether. Here’s what has worked, culturally. Keep on doing it exactly as this recipe says. Or the gods will smite your sorry ass.”
Then the cultures and/or religions duke it out over long stretches of time. Cultures that value human life more, or are more effective at increasing population, will outnumber cultures that are less effective, and eventually wipe out the * less effective * cultures or assimilate the few survivors.
Read the Old Testament to get a bloody glimpse of this war of tribal cultures.
Soo, in the U.S. we now have a culture of death, and a culture of life, and the culture of death is frantically trying to keep its numbers up by recruiting the young of the other culture.
That will not end well.
It is a bottom up process, the Invisible Hand at work.
that was a good thread; hate I missed it realtime
Well, religion can reinforce an idea and make people hold to it more strongly. Which is good if the underlying idea is good.
To wander a bit afield – if a non-religious (or avowedly non-religious) person declares that they will form an opinion on a subject without regard to what some religion teaches, I can see the logic – they reject the religion so they have to start over in examining the issues taught by that religion. In doing so, there’s a chance that some of them will independently reach the same conclusion the religion reached. Eg, “I guess that adultery, abortion, etc. are bad, and if this means taking the same side of an issue as Rev. Whoever, then I guess that’s the price I have to pay.”
Of course, there seem to be some people who think “considering an idea on its merits regardless of what those religious nutjobs think” translates into believing the opposite of what the religious nutjobs believe.
But which religious nutjobs do you take the opposite position from? Jerry Farwell? Or the liberal Methodists or Episcopalians? Or Pope Francis?
What I’m saying is, they’re almost certainly going to find themselves on the same side of an issue as *some* religion.
Ugh at the sort of person who would be bothered by that.
I know it’s often a rhetorical tactic – to associate an issue with X religious group (perhaps because that group gives a lot of attention to that issue) and then to insinuate that people outside the group should reject the particular view.
Too local, but area cops are about to stay fucked-up and/or augment their side businesses:
Area counties hold drug take back locations Saturday
So, they took drugs and now they’re going to take them back?
A takeback should be when the manufacturer or pharmacy buys its drugs back.
Aiding the police with their entrepreneurial endeavors.
How are people so naive? Early- to mid-Boomers or older I can forgive, but…
https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2021/04/woman-who-never-returned-vhs-rented-in-1999-finds-out-she-was-charged-with-felony.html
Slow news day.
Slow judicial proceedings. What happened to a speedy trial? Or was she declared a fugitive who couldn’t be located?
Was the law not updated for inflation in a hundred years or what?
Funny
not that this is necessarily relevant, but in many states their statutes of limitations do not apply to the years the defendant was outside the jurisdiction
I had just been wondering about the general SOLs on debts to local (city / county / state) governments.
According to this, the alleged rental was in 1999 and the charge was filed in 2000, which was likely within the statute of limitations – but the cops must not have looked very hard for her (but they put her in the computer).
https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-woman-charged-with-felony-for-not-returning-vhs-tape-21-years-ago
By the way, the VHS with the handwriting on it which they used to illustrate that story looks creepy to anyone who has watched the movie *Ringu.*
I feel for her missing out on all those jobs, if that’s the reason. Nobody asked or told her?
Why give so much as the time of day to someone who the OFFICIAL RECORD identifies as an embezzler?
/sarc
I doubt she was fired for stealing a video. If it makes her feel better, she can go ahead with that idea, but unless she had a security clearance ( in which case they’d ask her before she was hired) nobody is caring about this kind of crap. She probably got fired for being a flake, just like she flaked on returning the video.
From this story it sounded as if her applications were rejected: https://kfor.com/news/local/former-oklahoma-resident-had-unknown-charge-of-felony-embezzlement-for-not-returning-vhs-tape-rental-21-years-ago/
Yeah, I guess it’s possible. It is without doubt an evil move by the government. Firstly because how does a videotape theft get charged as a felony? And then, how does a case linger that long without any notice to the charged entity? But, there are plenty of people who fail to get multiple jobs and get fired from them too. It’s just speculation as to whether this is what happened to her. Still, why can’t the video store just hit her card like every other one did?
The real question is why the hell were there still video stores around in 2009?
Hey, I was still doing business with Blockbuster in 2008.
Well, the “journalist” who wrote this asserts that she can still be prosecuted, but that seems suspect to me. Holding pending charges for decades usually violates the statutes. When this does work, they have tried you in absentia and convicted you already. INAL, but this seems odd to me.
I got a little jacked on a ticket I got in AZ back in ’93. For going too slow on the freeway. I had a clapped out Mazda truck and it just wouldn’t go more than 50 mph up the hill into Quartzite. I ignored the ticket because AZ hadn’t signed onto the interstate drivers license compact at that time. By 2007, they had and attached my license with a 900.00 fine (with penalties). I fought them and they finally relented, but not before I asked them, ” so, you’re telling me that, had I robbed a bank, you’d be barred by law from prosecuting me because of the statute of limitations, but because it’s a minor infraction, you can prosecute me 15 years later with impunity?” They said yes, that’s exactly what they are saying.
As far as I can tell, we’re talking two deadlines: The statute of limitations means charges have to be *filed* within a certain period after the alleged crime (unless its murder or something), and once there’s a charge then the right to a speedy trial kicks in, meaning once filed, a charge must be *resolved* one way or another within a reasonable time. Now, if the woman didn’t know she’d been charged it would be difficult for her to assert your right to a speedy trial.
As for your ticket, you knew about it, but they took their time to pounce with it, long after you’d have forgotten it. Which strikes me as wrong, not that one should deliberately ignore tickets because the system can be humorless.
Laches!
In my defense, I’m of the opinion that any punishment a given “crime” carries should be clear and unchangeable at the time. You can’t come back 15 years later and say, ” remember that thing you did back when? NOW it’s a serious deal!” There are times when people make a calculated decision to break a law. Everybody speeds in their cars, for example. What if they got you on camera speeding, waited ten years until the penalty was a year in prsion to finally charge you? That would be evil and illegal. Which is why, when I fought them, they folded like a house of cards. They were wrong.
Certainly they were wrong, but once you have unresolved paperwork with the government, you can’t assume they’re going to say “well, it would be silly to keep pursuing this after all this time, let’s throw this out and make room for some more urgent business!”
I totally share your indignation.
Wish I could have seen that.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031679/mediaviewer/rm3262553601/
The Sam Adams vaccine commercial makes me angry. Why does a beer company need to opine on vaccines and face masks?
Haven’t seen that one yet, but ?.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N8AFHeaHp5U
Is there a wanking emoji?
There are other beers, thank dog.
JFC. At one point it suggests masks are history after the shot and then they step on it at the end.
Saw it last night. It was every bit as ridiculous as I expected.
I haven’t seen it and already hate that series of commercials. Any “Boston” portrayal is almost assured to be cringeworthy.
The only realistic portrayal of Boston in a commercial
I’ll also accept this
Rhywun & Raven Nation – so what do you think of those Demons? If it weren’t for the Bulldogs, I’d say they have a pretty good shot at the Premiere. Now they have the ‘roos next. So long as they don’t slack, that should be another win at least.
Not paying the slightest attention this year since Fox dropped the broadcasts.
Even on FS2?
Dunno. That is a premium channel now – it was dropped from my schedule about a year ago.
I love getting less for my money every year.
I laminated my vacine card. And laminated twice more. Then I punched a hole and attached a lanyard. Going to wear it instead of a mask and see who calls the cops. I’ll then ask the cops what law I’m violating. When they cite the governor’s or mayor’s orders, I’ll point out that laws are passed by the legislature.
I’m going to wait until summer break because I need my job.
Fucking assholes. I’m so pissed.