[709]

[psmith2.0]

It's weird there's a readily-available GIF of Ms. Witherspoon glancing coyly toward the hot pocket region. Almost as if she knows. The Internet is quite a thing.

I'll never understand how she won an Oscar for that Johnny Cash movie. Looked/sounded/sang nothing whatsoever like June Carter Cash.

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses Domestic travel is a bigger problem and threat and will never be limited. I fully expect a “2nd wave” to be much worse because we let our guard down and got complacent.

Agreed, but nobody in government has the balls to do anything about it. That said I’m far more concerned about the general reopening of the US/Canada boarder, considering how the Americans are treating the situation.

Here it is unlikely for much to change, tourist activity will be very limited, since gatherings of larger than 50 will not be allowed until maybe next year. All major festivals are therefore canceled for the year.

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Nor do I think she is all that “courageous” for sharing it.

Like so many other words in our culture, "courageous" has been redefined.

The word I would use is "vain".

[psmith2.0]

If this isn't the headline to beat all headlines...it manages to properly hit all the high marks/reasons to hate someone.



This guy has been a known shithead and low-rent huckster for the majority of my life. Zero surprise that he'd be in the middle of such a thing. I remember when he got caught putting it to that redheaded, cantaloupe-tittied "church secretary" ages ago. He's always been a graceless weasel.

Honestly, I thought the pinch-faced cretin died ages ago. Imagine my surprise, stumbling across the above.

[kscherer]

Wait a minute, where's Tami Fey?

Yeah, there are lots of folks taking advantage of this. It'll come back around.

[709]

Why the Coronavirus Is So Confusing

[turtle]

I have to say I thought this was funny from China.. Needless to say, LEGO company isn't liking their products being used for it, but it is funny either way. To avoid it becoming political, just enjoy the comedy of it.

[psmith2.0]

I'm seeing a few pizza commercials, touting how "once your pizza is made, it is never touched by human hands again".

Well, no shit. Which kinda makes me wonder how these clowns were going about it all before? Was the delivery driver, on his way to my house a year ago, running his fingers through it to make shapes or write his name? Or, prior to boxing, were the in-store employees using it as a football and tossing it around the kitchen area? But then along comes this virus and suddenly all that behavior is frowned upon by the regional management?

"Guys, let's not be groping and fondling the customer's pizza until further notice, okay? Thanks!"

You're not supposed to be touching it, COVID-19 or not. Why do you feel this is something you need to point out to everyone?!

All these companies are trying so hard, these past 5-6 weeks, to suck their own dick (and to let all of us know how good of a job they're doing at it).

"In these uncertain times, we're not putting our grubby mitts in your freshly-baked pie. Because we're all in this together." - Dominos/Papa John's/LIttle Caesars

Uh, thanks...here's a cookie. So when/why were you ever doing so to where not doing it is something that merits touting/pointing out?

[kscherer]

People respond to marketing. This is scientifically proven.

Now put your mask on and get back in line!

[_Ω_]

Insert pizza delivery porno joke here.

Boom chicka waa waa

[turtle]

Earlier I asked if one develops an immunity to this once they have it. Seems like Rand Paul is going to be all of our guinea pig for this.

“I’ve already had the virus. So I can’t get it again, and I can’t give it to anybody," Paul told reporters at the Capitol.

This isn't political, it is just a public display on if he can get infected again. Plus, you know the media won't let it go if he does show symptoms again.

[Dr. Bobsky]

What a moran.

[Ryan]

No wonder his neighbor hated him so much.

[psmith2.0]

One thing I’ve learned during all of this is that there’s a whole culture/“movement” on Instagram of women “proudly going gray”.

And it has nothing to do with the virus and their inability to get to the salon. These have been going on for a few years, it seems...entire Instagram accounts consisting of nothing other than some 30/40-something woman posting endless selfies of her gray/silver hair (or her hair slowly going that way). No lie...dozens, if not hundreds, of pics of the same woman doing nothing but showing her hair, as though that, in and of itself, is some genuinely courageous act or merits such coverage/discussion (dozens/hundreds of comments, etc.).

It’s hair, people. Do whatever you want. You were dealt a quirky genetic hand, that’s all. You haven’t discovered a new atom or time travel.

That level of vanity, obsession and “look at me”, I tend to find a little weird/offputting in a person. It seems their entire existence - at least in the way they choose to present it - centers around the color of their hair. It’s like their yellow sun, lantern ring or spider bite. It seems to define their lives and gives them their reason to wake up in the morning.

There are hardcore guitarists or woodworker/DIY types on Instagram who don’t post about their guitar/amp or their latest house project every single post. But these silver-haired martyrs...EVERY POST, there’s their hair, front and center.

While not directly related to COVID-19, I’m writing about it here because it is something I discovered while CHAINED TO MY HOUSE THE PAST 5-6 WEEKS. Therefore, it counts.

PS - Many of these women are supremely attractive/smoking hot (and it’s a look I actually like). But I still can’t get my head around the level of end-all/be-all importance they place on it. Until a few weeks ago, I had no idea this was even a thing. You either have grey/silver hair or you don’t. And whether you choose to color/hide it or “go natural” always struck me as a personal choice that nobody outside your household could possibly give two screaming, on-fire shits about. Seems I was (very) wrong! It appears to be an official Movement™️.

PS Again - Note that I’m not talking about teens and 20-somethings purposely coloring their hair silver/platinum, which seems to be a bit of a trend in the hair/beauty world (and it looks really good in some), but the ones I’m referring to are those in their 30’s or 40’s and going prematurely gray/silver and I guess they’re “documenting the journey“. (and possibly using it as attention/compliment bait in the process). Two different groups!

[psmith2.0]

On a more directly-related COVID-19 note, here's an update on the shithead from higher up this page. Known clown-banger/secretary-diddler Jim Bakker fights to continue selling his "miracle cure from God" COVID-19 (and HIV) elixir.

The only thing worse than a culture that allows/supports/encourages morons like him to do this, is the culture that allows/supports/encourages clueless, gullible know-nothings to buy it. Idiots like Bakker wouldn't exist if there weren't sad, lost mental deficients buying into his nonsense in enough numbers that obviously makes him feel his huckster efforts are worthwhile (and profitable). He isn't giving this stuff away, after all.

Sad, all around. Especially when I picture some some broken old lady in her little hovel, sharing Alpo with her dog, and writing this worthless pudknocker a check in earnest good faith, thinking it's going to save her from getting/dying from this virus. "Well, I'll just have to go without electricity/lights for a month, because I'd sure hate to get sick...".



A well-placed lightning bolt would do wonders.

[kscherer]

Who wants to take odds that these "contact tracing" apps are going to be abused?

[PB PM]

I sure won't be using any of these apps. If Apple forces them down people's throat via software updates, I simply won't be installing the update.

[Brave Ulysses]

Originally Posted by PB PM I sure won't be using any of these apps. If Apple forces them down people's throat via software updates, I simply won't be installing the update.

Why?

[crazychester]

Soft, weak and needy sums up the human race.

Edit: I should qualify that by saying first world/high income country humans.

Second and third world humans don't have the luxury to be so fucking precious.

[turtle]

I won't either because I'm not interested in throwing away my privacy for the sake of virus tracking. Name it what you want, my privacy is valuable and I'm not going to just give it away in the name of "public health" or much else for that matter.

What is interesting though is watching the area I live in now open up and the cases are continuing to climb. They weren't flattened during the time leading up to opening again either. Can't wait to see how this area goes from here. I live in the rural parts now so my exposure is even less than it was when I was in Tidewater.

[murbot]

I love the app the Alberta government just paid $650,000 for. On iPhones the app must be left actively running - like put the phone carefully in your pocket with the screen on running.

People don't really want to use the app as it is, and this kind of seals the deal for most. Having it run in the background is one thing, but this is pretty stupid.

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses Why?

It wouldn’t work well for me, I only have data turned on when I need it.

That and I see no need to be linking my phone to other peoples like that. As soon as hackers find a way to use it to form botnets or something it will be a disaster.

[turtle]

Originally Posted by murbot I love the app the Alberta government just paid $650,000 for. On iPhones the app must be left actively running - like put the phone carefully in your pocket with the screen on running. People don't really want to use the app as it is, and this kind of seals the deal for most. Having it run in the background is one thing, but this is pretty stupid.

That is comically bad design. I bet phones are dying in less than thirty minutes like that. GPS/Location services, I'm sure every radio in the phone on full as well. Then there is the screen being powered.

[Dr. Bobsky]

There’s an opportunity with anonymous apps to track and eliminate all contagious outbreaks. Imagine seasonal flu being eliminated not because of a vaccine breakthrough but because we can capture it’s spread in real time.

Yes it’s good to be paranoid of mysterious hackers who botnet your shitty cell phones through Bluetooth, but your paranoia doesn’t mean anything to anyone else. As you stew in it, the opportunities presented in anonymised epidemiological data will yield immense benefits for human health as we move forward.

[kscherer]

I can see the benefits, but not if it's run by governments or the Facebooks of the world. Apple and Google appear to be on a good path. States and social media apps do not.

[crazychester]

Originally Posted by murbot I love the app the Alberta government just paid $650,000 for. On iPhones the app must be left actively running - like put the phone carefully in your pocket with the screen on running. People don't really want to use the app as it is, and this kind of seals the deal for most. Having it run in the background is one thing, but this is pretty stupid.

This sounds like it's the same as the one we're using. But I thought we got it for free from Singapore.

Theoretically the apps are a good idea but unfortunately, it seems governments are using them as a panacea rather than a genuinely useful tool. Our app has been available for 2 weeks but it's still not being used in practice.

I'd consider d/l-ing the app from Apple. But I'd need an awful lot of i's dotted and t's crossed before I'd d/l an app developed and promoted by the Australian government.

I wish I'd kept a journal of this whole thing. The shifting messaging is fascinating to watch. I think a lot of what is going on ATM is an effort to convince people like me and quite a few of you to just go gallivanting about, spending money and....... spending money.

Ain't happening guys.

Incentivise people who don't have paid sick leave to stay home if symptomatic and I'll reconsider my position. Until then, fortunately I have the luxury of saying "no dice". Not going out and about. Won't be spending any money I don't have to either.

This is what I worry about:

Lots of unemployed people = a great time to kick workers while they're down.

My/your neoliberal government:

So unemployed person, you thought no pay rises and supporting a lifestyle you don't need on borrowed dime was bad?

Well have we got a deal for you!

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by Dr. Bobsky There’s an opportunity with anonymous apps to track and eliminate all contagious outbreaks. Imagine seasonal flu being eliminated not because of a vaccine breakthrough but because we can capture it’s spread in real time.

If only anonymous data really was anonymous. It has been shown time and time again that it is easy, in relative terms, for individuals or the government to use patterns in so called anonymous data to figure out who a person is. The cause is just, but once these governments and companies have the data they'll never stop. They haven't before, and they sure wont when this pandemic ends.

I don't trust, Apple, Google, or any Government to handle that amount of data safely, even if they don't mean to miss use it. All it would take is one employee being mad for being fired, or just having a bad day, like in the case of the credit companies over the past few years, for that data to get leaked into the wrong hands or simply having names released to the public. That opens a big can of worms, which could lead to people being blocked from employment, and all sorts of things.

[Dr. Bobsky]

You can design the algorithms for these tracers to have nearly zero actually useful information. Less information than localisation services that nearly everyone uses for somethings ...

[chucker]

Originally Posted by murbot I love the app the Alberta government just paid $650,000 for. On iPhones the app must be left actively running - like put the phone carefully in your pocket with the screen on running. People don't really want to use the app as it is, and this kind of seals the deal for most. Having it run in the background is one thing, but this is pretty stupid.

To be fair, those limitations are on Apple.