leh-nerd skin-erd

I’ll take a crack at it. It’s entirely plausible that the US government with a massive, ever-expanding budge my was caught off guard by COVID, pants down money for such things long spent elsewhere. It’s possible and probable that well-intentioned people did the best they could given what they had to work with. It’s possible that lockdowns were viewed as the best hope for the survival of humanity by some, an opportunity by others. However, it’s highly likely that somewhere along the line, that well-intentioned process morphed into an opportunity to seize upon a crisis, prey on the fears of people, and test drive the relative compliance and resolve of the typical American. Using science as a hammer, the compliant complied, while many setting the rules ignored them from social events to non-distanced baseball games to inauguration celebrations as people died and so on. So, ordinary citizens allowed themselves to be locked down, forgoing worship, a visit to the nursing home or hospital to see a loved one as they drew their last breath, and family celebrations by the score. “This is all for your own good and the good of the collective!”, we were assured. Those that defied the rules were treated harshly, arrested, the weight of govt brought down upon them....but only if they operated a business or house of worship. On the other hand, science and leaders looked the other way as multitudes gathered, the virus presumably hovering about tens of thousands of people gathered together, apparently immune from spread and ultimately, it would seem in cases, prosecution for illegal acts. Along the way, decent folks like @oldmanfan, data folks, happy to opine on the need for folks to stop whining and be part of the vax solution, was loath to share an opinion on that sort of thing. The data, as I understand him, was clear that folks from different households traveling, congregating and interacting surely spread the virus...but data was inconclusive about folks from different households traveling, congregating and interacting in the tens of thousands in pursuit of noble social justice causes. So, the plan seemed to be to test the resolve of the sheep in the flock as it relates to lockdowns, tolerance for obvious hypocrisy and some obvious “do as I say not as I do” behavior. In addition, this allowed for some additional test drives. The ruling political class—those on govt work, saw very little direct financial impact over the past 15 months. Some in private industry were treated to a windfall. The checks came, bills paid, lights on and in some cases, special science exemptions were carved into the system. CDC rules and guidelines kinda sorta were applied to most of us, but some schools carved their own path. I’d think that was a pleasant surprise to them, that folks could have their lives turned upside down, their income devastated, yet obligations to the govt continued as always, with a stfu, pay your tribute and you’ll get what we give you approach employed. Extended unemployment benefits...required due to the lockdown (for the compliant only, of course), paying people handsomely to stay home v work, the morphing of the discussion into wage equity and the like has a decidedly Universal Basic Income vibe to it.

A Doc and a Science dude who just happen to be two of the smartest, brightest and bestest minds around this little land of misfit toys we clank around in state emphatically and with clarity that the vaccine(s) are most likely +/- a death or seizure here or there safe and there probably is nothing at all to fear in the near immediate future and there are no known adverse side effects in the 82 days since vaccine deployment commenced!! I recall hanging out at the pool in our town growing up, and there was this guy there who had a hand, a shoulder but no in-between. I believe he was what Billy Joel called one of the “children of thalidomide”. ***** happens sometimes though people can have the best of intentions. Hesitancy is completely natural, understandable especially when you’re an otherwise healthy individual. Btw, if the guy from the town is here now—it was impossible not to respect the hell out of you as a kid. Hope you’re well.

Part of the problem in Washington is these independent commissions stacked with politicians, posing as intelligent, independent free-thinking leaders. Very little is accomplished of any note, some yapping goes back and forth across the aisle, and we’re supposed to believe these (mostly) dimwits are going to come up with anything tangible.

He’s wound pretty tight on certain issues, but at 5’10 a buck43 he’s probably ravenously hungry most of the day. Explains his wanting to round up the non-compliant, figuratively speaking.

Jesus Christ, in a post-Gov-gone-wild world, the COVID troopers lead by Herr Fauci will be kicking down doors, holding down women and children while plunging a needle into their arm, and wasting the poor bastard cooking a burger in a hidden room in the basement. And eat a sandwich for heaven’s sake.

All I see is missed opportunities to de-fugitize. Man ya had them right there!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh snap @transplantbillsfan go’n be calling for Cole B to be cut or moved to quarantined IR: https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nfl-cole-beasley-updated-mask-rules Then again maybe he’s one of the 20-40 millions dem/indys that get the free pass to love his vaccine hesitancy truth because Transpy can look the other way....

Another way is come to your house, breach the door and vaccinate under threat of force. Or, in this new era, threat of listening to a state-sponsored psychcounselor-police-alternative blathering on about the subconscious self-destruction due to repressed feelings of rages for always being a duck in duck duck goose back in first grade.

Hogwash. The circle back to “concession” and subsequent reimagining of 5 years of phrases like coup, illegitimate, stolen, treasonous elections is preposterous and complete bull shyt. Phrase of the week from those willing to contort over the 5 years Russian scam...”on the main...”. Pelosi is the speaker of the house, cmon man! On the main, the Dems tried to unseat the President with fabricated and fanciful tales believed by simpletons and the occasional Canadian. 🤣

Pelosi declared the 2016 election was hijacked. Schumer insinuated the IC would find any way, legal or otherwise, to destroy Trump for questioning their tactics. Warren worried about election security and tainted results in 2019. There are many more examples on leaders and major players in the dem party declaring the same, or worse, and undermining the results of that election. When the “Trump is a Rooskie” scam imploded, and the Dems were unable to uncover any other process crimes to pursue, they not so subtly moved the goal post from “Trump’s a Rooskie” to “Trump should be prosecuted for daring to defend himself against the “Trump is a Rooskie!” scam. I saw a post a while back about “despots” with all sorts of handwringing about the threat to our Republic. If true, those who perpetrated the scam 5 years ago, are the root cause of that problem. The ordinary Joe who supported them, waited breathlessly for Russianmania to come to fruition and got their nuts kicked /hearts broken during the Mueller tribunal, are worse still....because they voted for the architects of the failed scandal. At his worst, all Trump did was run the same game. It’s similar to all the folks who lamented his mistreatment of an obviously fading Biden in the debate. Biden made a career over bombastic assaults on civility, all Trump did was out-Biden Biden. Gtfoh. 😂

Seriously? Insanity? We were advised to hunker down and avoid others like the, uh, plague. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people gathered on nights and weekends and no warning bells went off, no emergency signals flashed, just.... nothing. 15 months later, it is revealed that the sweet and lovable two ply mask appears largely ineffective against the dreaded Wuhan Flu, today’s equivalent of hiding under a desk in the event a nuke dropped on the school roof. And actually, the data that placing two loose fitting sheets of toilet paper over your mouth and nose was ineffective came quite some time ago. “Insanity” to question the purveyors of mask invincibility and lockdowns when the data suggests the lockdowns are efficient? Hardly.

You shouldn’t be hyper-fixated on someone else’s money. It’s poor form and makes you look like a democrat. That said, maybe.

go ask my people atop about something you wrote? that seems inefficient, with a substantial margin for error. I can just stick with mos def.

mos def. fa shur. why was that again?

It would not surprise me in the least if operatives in the progressive world didn’t help some of these people along. It’s amazing, too, the age of some of these geezers and how long they have been in positions of power (D and R). For perspective, Nixon’s five o’clock shadow and makeup/lack thereof played a part in detailing his chances back in the day. In 2020, the d race was all about an old commie having a heart attack on the campaign trail v an old moderate-*****-progressive blowing a retinal gasket in a debate and interestingly, that wasn’t even the big issue—an eyeball filling with blood in real time. The even larger issue was his ability to use words like “it”, “the”, and “God” in the proper context, not referencing his great personal relationships with leaders long dead, and trying to remember who his opponent was without PhDr. Jill’s assistance and guidance. That his opponent has had arguably the most recognizable name on the planet makes that even more amazing.

It is, that’s why I responded.

This seems to be a hot button issue for you. Other people feel differently, as is the way if the world. Let it be.

Good stuff. Keep it coming.

It’s interesting the lengths we feel compelled to go to get to the point where we state emphatically that a person who threatens to kill another should be disciplined severely. Seems it should be a strait-forward expulsion and that’s that. Time for one bathroom, multiple stalls and a come as you are approach to 1s, 2s and as necessary and politically correct, 3s.

Your patience in dealing with our addled friend and his Kaczinski-esque ramblings purported to include a question is admirable. You should consider a career in the medical field. With warm regards, I am Tucker C, II (please don’t call me “Junior”, makes me sound young)

I am incapable of understanding gibberish. I acknowledge understanding that you think I whine, I’m ambivalent about your feelings in that regard, though you continue to disappoint me in this thread.

This doesn’t feel like a serious question asked by a curious individual interested in dialogue, doesn’t feel like that at all. It feels like you made a declaration, pre-suppose I’ll accept it as factual and ask me to predict an outcome based on the variables you provided. This actually feels like complete bullshyt to me, Niagara Bill, and I’m disappointed.

You have a lot going on here. You’re telling me that Dick Cheney’s a female and her first name is Elizabeth? That’s preposterous.

Cheney’s father, Dick, a hero of the left. Mmmmmmm k.

That’s your interpretation of what occurred, and it’s flatly false. That they chose to find a new home to have the discussion is their right. You are correct, however, you are free to criticize and exercise that right and seem to do so on a somewhat regular basis. My bad. You were very complimentary and supportive of their collective decision, and I misunderstood what appeared to be derogatory statements about former posters. 😂 Your distrust is in one guy and all his appointees. I can see how that doesn’t reflect distrust in the government we had over the four years prior to Dementia Joe. How do you propose to mandate vax, what would the penalty be for non-compliance and how would you handle the very delicate issue with black and brown people who refuse? Obviously white people will refuse as well but I think I know what you would do there. I’m not interested in talking on the terms you choose to dictate. I think the decision to vaccinate is a private decision for each person to make. It’s not my job, nor my intent to “get” anyone down to anything. I share my thoughts with people I love and who care to listen to what I say. If you choose to ignore the substantial number of Dems and indys, and bluster through the issue as it relates to Black citizens, that’s fine, but it’s bulkshyt. Then again maybe you should go out and counsel them on how their feelings are understandable but in this case, they’re being stubborn, defiant and screwing things up for the rest of us. Well there you go. As time moves on, folks get more comfortable. Maybe in time some of the Rs, Indys, Dems and others will decide to get the vaccine. Until then, their body their rules unless your gulag plan gets some legs to it. We wouldn’t need what? Compliance? So you’re advocating forced compliance for everyone who’s white and Republican and “wouldn’t need to” for everyone else on your list? @Big Blitz is the standard bearer on the constantly evolving herd immunity as pitched in The Amazing Tony Fauci Medicine show. 70%. 75% 82% 85%. Now the “elusive and mythical” number. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/is-herd-immunity-a-realistic-concept-fauci-calls-it-elusive-and-mystical-11620148465 Spoiler alert—this douche is all over the page, and part of the reason thinking folks don’t want the vaccine. I don’t believe I ever heard this story Grandpa, tell me the one again where the ship you were on hit an iceberg! Actually, thanks for sharing. I knew I would get the vaccine when it was available assuming people were not dropping like flies from receiving it. I trusted Trump to deliver, and he did. I had zero fears of dying from COVID, moderate fears of infecting people I love, and recognize for some people it’s dangerous. My reasoning is simple, I don’t like getting sick. I’ve gotten a flu shot for ten years and this was simple decision for me. Then it should not have been politicized, and it was. You just acknowledged your role. Trump didn’t make the vaccine in his basement—you know that—-and those opposed to Trump chose to politicize the development of the vaccine and absolutely contributed to the cynicism. That was dangerous and irresponsible, and people likely died as a result. So tell me, when Trump was shepherding the fast tracking of vaccine(s) and your eternal beloveds were sowing doubt and spreading disinformation...what were the scientists saying? That the vaccine would be dangerous? Risky? Hit or miss? Nope, your folks just played it that way and you went along for the ride. I trust the scientists, mostly, just not those acting in political roles. Sorry dude, it’s inconvenient but ultimately truthful: People see through the bullshyt of a Tony Fauci when he bloviates about 6 people at a Memorial Day picnic killing grandma, and the need to shut down the local brew pub while looking the other way during mass gatherings where tens of thousands get together for hours on end. He failed, badly. As a result, people came to the conclusion he’s probably full of shyt. That’s all on him.