Isn't it ironic?

dmarbell

dmarbell

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If that's the right term for it.

I was walking into Food Lion the other day and saw folks going in and out with their masks on when it struck me. In the last fifty years or so we have seen remarkable scientific and medical developments and discoveries. (I use fifty years because I was sixteen and just really starting to study science in high school.) We don't have to dwell on long lists, but genetic engineering, stem cell therapy, robotic surgeries, personal computer developments, cell phones, artificial "intelligence," perhaps on the verge of self-driving cars, ad infinitum.

And yet here we are wearing masks, and being told that this might become the "new normal." Staying six feet apart, washing hands like madmen (and-women), disinfecting everything we touch... And the only way out is a vaccine, which may or may not be effective. Flu vaccines are effective against various strains of flu from 37% to 50%, based on a study of 4,112 patients from Oct 23, 2019 to Jan 25, 2020. Can we really expect to be back to status quo of late 2019 with a new vaccine that will be 50%, or less, effective?

For me, in the short-term at least, I have decided to wear the mask in public indoors. It galls my ass, but it seems to be a minor sacrifice if it will help us get back to pre-Covid ways.

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-per...flu-vaccine-yields-45-protection-us-58-canada
 
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It galls me that others effectively force me to do something just so I can avoid conflict that could create a far greater danger than my unmasked presence represents.

I hate force in all its disguises.
 
JT said:
It galls me that others effectively force me to do something just so I can avoid conflict that could create a far greater danger than my unmasked presence represents.

I hate force in all its disguises.
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This. I still feel the same way about seatbelts. Yes, they're probably a good idea but, I don't like being "made" to wear one or I will pay a fine. The lack of seatbelts on a school bus is always a good argument that seatbelts are not for safety, just a revenue generator.
 
I would if I was convinced it made a significant difference. The science I've seen says it doesn't, the high profile experts with agendas say it does. I carry one with me so I can put it on if personally requested to by a store employee or manager, but that's it. I see a fair amount of people doing what I'm doing. Carrying one in a shirt pocket or by hand. We kind of look at each other knowingly. ;) Largely outnumbered by sheep though.
 
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Geezer said:
This. I still feel the same way about seatbelts. Yes, they're probably a good idea but, I don't like being "made" to wear one or I will pay a fine. The lack of seatbelts on a school bus is always a good argument that seatbelts are not for safety, just a revenue generator.
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I have a problem with it being a law as well. The government should have ZERO business in matters of your choices for your own personal safety. The ONE thing that would give them that authority is socialized medicine, i.e. Universal Healthcare, and that is why I am so much against it. Once you have the masses paying for your healthcare you give them a valid reason to control what risks to your health you can take. F that.
 
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Geezer said:
This. I still feel the same way about seatbelts. Yes, they're probably a good idea but, I don't like being "made" to wear one or I will pay a fine. The lack of seatbelts on a school bus is always a good argument that seatbelts are not for safety, just a revenue generator.
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You could choose to drive a school bus.;)

Had a friend go off the road day before yesterday, she’d been going 80mph and lost control after being brake checked, hit a bridge abutment. Car totaled, almost noting inside was unbroken, and she had to pull some random parts out of her body to separate herself from the car to crawl out the passenger side. Without a seatbelt and airbags there is simply no way she would have survived. So they do make a difference, but does that mean you should be required to wear one?

@Flashpoint mentioned socialized medicine which is pretty much what we have in the emergency room. If you come in by ambulance you’ll get immediate life-saving treatment without regard to cost or ability to pay. If you can’t pay, the cost is covered by the hospital’s owners, which means other patients and their insurance companies, or the government, which means taxpayers. I don’t find either of these situations to be fair, so maybe we get rid of the safety equipment requirements, making cars a lot cheaper, and just don’t provide medical services to accident victims who elected a car that doesn’t have the safety certifications or that elected not to use the provided safety equipment? To me that’s fair, the vehicle owner and driver make the decision to spend less for their vehicle and save time every time they get in the car, and they either pay more for special insurance for that privilege or they don’t get medical care unless they pay out of pocket, in advance.

Just spitballing, but seems like putting a card reader on the back of an ambulance would be easy enough.
 
JimB said:
You could choose to drive a school bus.;)

Had a friend go off the road day before yesterday, she’d been going 80mph and lost control after being brake checked, hit a bridge abutment. Car totaled, almost noting inside was unbroken, and she had to pull some random parts out of her body to separate herself from the car to crawl out the passenger side. Without a seatbelt and airbags there is simply no way she would have survived. So they do make a difference, but does that mean you should be required to wear one?

@Flashpoint mentioned socialized medicine which is pretty much what we have in the emergency room. If you come in by ambulance you’ll get immediate life-saving treatment without regard to cost or ability to pay. If you can’t pay, the cost is covered by the hospital’s owners, which means other patients and their insurance companies, or the government, which means taxpayers. I don’t find either of these situations to be fair, so maybe we get rid of the safety equipment requirements, making cars a lot cheaper, and just don’t provide medical services to accident victims who elected a car that doesn’t have the safety certifications or that elected not to use the provided safety equipment? To me that’s fair, the vehicle owner and driver make the decision to spend less for their vehicle and save time every time they get in the car, and they either pay more for special insurance for that privilege or they don’t get medical care unless they pay out of pocket, in advance.

Just spitballing, but seems like putting a card reader on the back of an ambulance would be easy enough.
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Maybe not in this case but, it might be easier to survive a crash at 55 MPH than 80 MPH. That said, there are many two lane country roads around here with a 75 MPH speed limit. I very rarely see anyone going near 75 MPH, though.
 
Geezer said:
Maybe not in this case but, it might be easier to survive a crash at 55 MPH than 80 MPH. That said, there are many two lane country roads around here with a 75 MPH speed limit. I very rarely see anyone going near 75 MPH, though.
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You’re okay with speed limits but not seat belts? Seems like good fodder for a Friday night discussion.


Bailey Boat said:
Does it really matter HOW we die?? Dead is dead, there aren't degrees of dead... Multiple choices, pick one, no body gets out alive anyway...
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dead doesn’t scare me, being a burden on folks scares me.
 
JimB said:
You could choose to drive a school bus.;)

Had a friend go off the road day before yesterday, she’d been going 80mph and lost control after being brake checked, hit a bridge abutment. Car totaled, almost noting inside was unbroken, and she had to pull some random parts out of her body to separate herself from the car to crawl out the passenger side. Without a seatbelt and airbags there is simply no way she would have survived. So they do make a difference, but does that mean you should be required to wear one?

@Flashpoint mentioned socialized medicine which is pretty much what we have in the emergency room. If you come in by ambulance you’ll get immediate life-saving treatment without regard to cost or ability to pay. If you can’t pay, the cost is covered by the hospital’s owners, which means other patients and their insurance companies, or the government, which means taxpayers. I don’t find either of these situations to be fair, so maybe we get rid of the safety equipment requirements, making cars a lot cheaper, and just don’t provide medical services to accident victims who elected a car that doesn’t have the safety certifications or that elected not to use the provided safety equipment? To me that’s fair, the vehicle owner and driver make the decision to spend less for their vehicle and save time every time they get in the car, and they either pay more for special insurance for that privilege or they don’t get medical care unless they pay out of pocket, in advance.

Just spitballing, but seems like putting a card reader on the back of an ambulance would be easy enough.
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Or you could not tailgate someone at 80mph causing them to brake check you in the first place? Glad she will be ok but it sounds like she could have prevented the crash altogether by keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front of her?
 
SPST said:
Or you could not tailgate someone at 80mph causing them to brake check you in the first place? Glad she will be ok but it sounds like she could have prevented the crash altogether by keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front of her?
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Well I wasn’t there, but the police report says that she was in the left lane and he was tailgating, she moved to the right lane, he passed, flipped her off, then pulled into the right lane just in front of her and brake checked. Thats all I know. She’s not the type to have been dicking with him, but who knows. Anyway, maybe tap the brakes on the victim blaming;)
 
JimB said:
Well I wasn’t there, but the police report says that she was in the left lane and he was tailgating, she moved to the right lane, he passed, flipped her off, then pulled into the right lane just in front of her and brake checked. Thats all I know. She’s not the type to have been dicking with him, but who knows. Anyway, maybe tap the brakes on the victim blaming;)
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Well, that's a totally different thing. Your first post sounded like she was the tailgater. I hope they catch the guy. It sounds like he didn't stop to help.
 
I wore a mask to the Phrenologists office out of respect for the patients. I haven't worn a mask since. Unbeknownst to everyone, I typically have one in my pocket just in case. However; if you can protest, mask-less, WhoTF are you to tell me I have to wear a mask in public. I have yet to have anyone say a single word to me about it. Ok, BP is going up, I must end this post..... (watching baseball with Fouchi removing his mask because he is dehydrated and all the ball players in the dug out with masks on after y0u KNOW they have all been tested)
 
fieldgrade said:
I blame the aliens in the Off-Earth vehicles that the Pentagon finally admitted are real for planting an Off-Earth virus in the Wuhan wet market.
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Wait, War of the Worlds, doesn't it work the other way?
 
JimB said:
You’re okay with speed limits but not seat belts? Seems like good fodder for a Friday night discussion.
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I'll go there. Speed limits protects other people.
Set belts only protect me.
Every day is Friday for me.
 
The boiled frog at it's best.. Just another notch in the control - submission agenda. If it doesn't work, a bigger boogieman will be released, fake or real. Gotta keep em scared. I have yet to wear a mask, and refuse to. Submitting to such draconian measures in itself is a death sentence at some point. I shop at consumer friendly stores, the others won't get a penny of mine.

Are shields and straight jackets next? That's for the ones who evade the forced inoculations.
 
We went to a place Friday and I had to wear a mask for the first time...at least to get in. .........I don't think I'll go back.
 
JimB said:
You could choose to drive a school bus.;)

Had a friend go off the road day before yesterday, she’d been going 80mph and lost control after being brake checked, hit a bridge abutment. Car totaled, almost noting inside was unbroken, and she had to pull some random parts out of her body to separate herself from the car to crawl out the passenger side. Without a seatbelt and airbags there is simply no way she would have survived. So they do make a difference, but does that mean you should be required to wear one?

@Flashpoint mentioned socialized medicine which is pretty much what we have in the emergency room. If you come in by ambulance you’ll get immediate life-saving treatment without regard to cost or ability to pay. If you can’t pay, the cost is covered by the hospital’s owners, which means other patients and their insurance companies, or the government, which means taxpayers. I don’t find either of these situations to be fair, so maybe we get rid of the safety equipment requirements, making cars a lot cheaper, and just don’t provide medical services to accident victims who elected a car that doesn’t have the safety certifications or that elected not to use the provided safety equipment? To me that’s fair, the vehicle owner and driver make the decision to spend less for their vehicle and save time every time they get in the car, and they either pay more for special insurance for that privilege or they don’t get medical care unless they pay out of pocket, in advance.

Just spitballing, but seems like putting a card reader on the back of an ambulance would be easy enough.
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Apples and oranges. If you need me to explain why I will.
 
We are on the brink of a real economic downturn. Millions are going to be evicted here shortly. If the non eviction order is extended, we are going to see more owners of these rental properties going under financially. With the upcoming election we are about to see that perfect storm. Everyone is getting armed...people that were never armed before. Desperate people are stocking up on firepower. The anarchists are already in full swing. If we don't stop with this covid-19 idiocy we are in some real serious trouble.
 
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