Fear and Loathing, a Rat Flu Odyssey

[Name Redacted]

I think that getting kids back to school is just all about getting them out of the way so parents can get back to work and spend money on more BS crayons and trapper keepers.

But I gotta say, if there is an upside to this whole Covid thing, it is really pulling people out of their regular grind and making them go outside and do shit more. RV sales? through the roof. Anything outdoor related? sales through the roof. I've seen more people paddle boarding and kayaking on our lake than every before. Trailheads are full as ever, maybe more so now.

There's no concerts, no ball games, restaurants and bars are less appealing, and travel to far away destinations is pretty much off the table. So people (who still have jobs) are actually dumping all of their money into new hobbies to get them out into nature. It's pretty refreshing, even if they are crowding some trailheads, I like it. Maybe, just maybe, some folks will latch on and stop being such miserable fucks after all this is over.

[gravitylover]

Nah there's going to be more miserable fux than ever before. 50+ million people out of work ought to do it...

[SkiBall]

https://twitter.com/FirenzeMike/stat...906603523?s=20

Apparently a true story in four easy steps.

[splat]

[Benny Profane]

Nah there's going to be more miserable fux than ever before. 50+ million people out of work ought to do it...

Work? He doesn't work. He's a Colorado trust funder.

[subtle plague]

71k cases in the US today. Fuuuuuuk.

USA! USA! USA!
You can do in one day what China took months! No. 1.

[Skidog]

shut your whore mouth (but it doesn't look good with deploreables fucking it up for everyone)

Do you honestly think there aren't any no Trump supporters not wearing masks and playing by the "rules"? Man if that's the case I really feel sorry for you.

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[Benny Profane]

Not there yet.

https://morningconsult.com/2020/07/0...utine-polling/

[ötzi]

Do you honestly think there aren't any no Trump supporters not wearing masks and playing by the "rules"? Man if that's the case I really feel sorry for you.

Do you really not believe Trump support and mask resistance are correlated very strongly? I'm sure there must be outliers in both political camps, but I mean, come on man.

[riser4]

My wife saw a strong correlation between IQ and mask wearing when she was at Wally World yesterday.

[glademaster]

I think my dad summed it pretty well the other day when he said that this is the first time in his voting age life (he's 62) that he has been worse off than he was four years ago. There are a whole lot of people in that position, and I sure hope that most of them aren't stupid enough to think that staying the course is appropriate choice.

[Benny Profane]

There were millions much worse off in 2016. That's pretty much why Trump is president, because they didn't want to hear the same old same old from millionaire candidates and senators. And most Americans are going to a shitload worse off in 2024 after the damage from this pandemic, so get ready for that. You think it's bad now?

[glademaster]

There were millions much worse off in 2016. That's pretty much why Trump is president, because they didn't want to hear the same old same old from millionaire candidates and senators. And most Americans are going to a shitload worse off in 2024 after the damage from this pandemic, so get ready for that. You think it's bad now?

Are you illiterate, or just obtuse?

[Benny Profane]

Are you angry again?

[Core Shot]

My wife saw a strong correlation between IQ and “the average American in their native habitat”
when she was at Wally World yesterday.

FIFY

[glademaster]

Your post was tilting at windmills, Benny. None of your statements are incompatible with my anecdote, nor do they invalidate it. And to top it off, I generally agree with what you said. I also didn't say anything about the future looking bright, which you implied with your closing question.

The point I'm making is that the ramifications of COVID are impacting segments of the population/economy that have generally fared well and been resilient through previous downturns. We're just starting to see that reckoning play out, and if there is another round of shutdowns it will accelerate the process.

[frorider]

Speaking of Walmart—In the UK the plan is to mitigate the Second Wave by attacking obesity: https://www.theguardian.com/society/...19-second-wave

[riser4]

FIFY

No. I stand by my statement.

[Skidog]

Do you really not believe Trump support and mask resistance are correlated very strongly? I'm sure there must be outliers in both political camps, but I mean, come on man.

I'd agree more are likely Trump supporters, but man I saw a lot of blm protestors unmasked and completely breaking the rules. They sure aren't Trump supporters. I just don't think it's as skewed as you imagine.

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[Benny Profane]

Your post was tilting at windmills, Benny. None of your statements are incompatible with my anecdote, nor do they invalidate it. And to top it off, I generally agree with what you said. I also didn't say anything about the future looking bright, which you implied with your closing question.

The point I'm making is that the ramifications of COVID are impacting segments of the population/economy that have generally fared well and been resilient through previous downturns. We're just starting to see that reckoning play out, and if there is another round of shutdowns it will accelerate the process.

Well, what I was trying to say is that this is hardy anything new to millions and millions of Americans. Your father was lucky, just as I am, to make it to a late age (and, it is a late age, historically speaking) and not be dramatically affected by the evils of the American capitalistic system. Not laid off and discarded a few times, usually after 50, his home wasn't foreclosed or reduced dramatically in value due to no fault of his own, no medical bills that bankrupt millions instantly, no student debt to pay, either his or his children's, certainly no savings, only debt, and just discarded like metal shavings on the floor of a machine shop next to the lathe. At least he is at an age when he can collect Social Security, and in a few years be covered by an excellent insurance plan, Medicare. There's some safety net there. Not for a 42 year old who just bought a house and is knee deep in debt.
Like I said, wait a few years for bad. This will look good in hindsight.

[splat]

I think my dad summed it pretty well the other day when he said that this is the first time in his voting age life (he's 62) that he has been worse off than he was four years ago. There are a whole lot of people in that position, and I sure hope that most of them aren't stupid enough to think that staying the course is appropriate choice.

If ever Reagan's words had any real meaning for America, the "How are you doing compared to fours years ago?" question is obviously going to be Biden's best campaign pitch.

[Benny Profane]

If ever Reagan's words had any real meaning for America, the "How are you doing compared to fours years ago?" question is obviously going to be Biden's best campaign pitch.

In his own words. This is brilliant in it's simplicity.

https://mobile.twitter.com/cmclymer/...47339083386880

[KQ]

Do you really not believe Trump support and mask resistance are correlated very strongly? I'm sure there must be outliers in both political camps, but I mean, come on man.

I have Trump supporting friends who take this virus very seriously and wear masks or just stay home.

[old goat]

Mom worked in esd growing up. Would never bash the mentally challenged. I specifically used that word because trump supporters are that bad. Actually they’re worse. You can see the hate and ugliness that resides in their soul. Fuck Trump and if you’re a trump supporter you’re a mongoloid asshole! (That for steep and dB). However if steep can get me some huevos a la campesina from cafe Siena in Eugene I’ll only kick him in the balls instead of sick my dogs in on his tiny marbles.


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Well, the Mongols were much more cultured and sophisticated than people think, so you still need to find a better epithet for Trump supporters.

Coupled with the rush to open schoolst, the other night the news reported that 60% of parents surveyed had no idea how they were going to keep kids occupied this summer due to camps being closed.

Not having kids, I don't have a dog in this fight but I am continually dismayed at this idea that things must remain the same. Isn't this a prime opportunity to teach children how to roll with adversity and learn how to shoulder some responsibility within the family? To show them that things sometimes change and new work arounds need to be developed as a part of a bigger picture?

Somehow prior generations of kids managed to get through summer vacation playing in their yard or the local park and there was a time when kids would be pulled out of school to work on family farms. Things don't need to be cookie cutter.

I really don't see how being out of school while we work through this pandemic is going to indelibly scar children. They are adaptable and resilient. There is time to make this up when there is less risk (and stress) for all.

But of course there are exceptions for special needs children but again.... work arounds.

There was a time when most kids spent the summer working on the farm--that's why schools had summer vacations. Kids don't have to be in Syria to be traumatized--there are plenty of abused kids, kids growing up amid violence in this country who are adversely affected, but not going to camp or school isn't going to wreck a kid for life. Might wreck their parents though. But if the kids complain too much, there's always the old standby--"Abe LIncoln never went to school or camp". That's right up their with "starving children in Africa".

Meanwhile--old folks running wild https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...26f_story.html

I'm being reasonably careful myself, but I get the thinking. If you believe that the pandemic is likely to go on for years and that it will probably outlive you, it doesn't make sense to spend the rest of your life cooped up at home. My advice to old people who want to take this approach is to stay home and die if you get the corona. A hospital is a miserable place to die and please don't take a bunch of HCW's with you.

[SkiBall]

We are about half way from when this thing kicked into gear and the election, and still longer before a possible new leadership direction can even just start. We are on our own. Take care of yourself and your peeps.

Thursday was the first day I was able to take what felt like a full lung breath since mid March. So that is hopeful.