Grifman wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2020 12:57 pm
My 93 year old mom is excited. She's been cooped up for months and this past weekend I told her i was going to take her on a picnic and road trip. We are going to go up to the NC mountains, drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway and just cruise the day. She is so excited about getting out of the house, and I am too, given that I have stayed cooped up other than visiting her as I am her only physical human contact. It's going to be fun!
I've seen my parent three or four times. Through glass with masks for the moments time glass was not feasible. This weekend was the first we occupied space no barrier other than social distance. it was... nice...
My mom still lives at home alone in the house I grew up and is able to take care of herself. I go over, get some take out, we eat, I help her with any financial stuff, and get groceries as necessary. We try to wear masks as much as we can except for eating together. We have also started zooming with the rest of the family, and she has really enjoyed that.
I don't have the energy to be a good son. Cat's in the Cradle... I try because time is precious. I fail.
Grifman wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2020 12:57 pm
My 93 year old mom is excited. She's been cooped up for months and this past weekend I told her i was going to take her on a picnic and road trip. We are going to go up to the NC mountains, drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway and just cruise the day. She is so excited about getting out of the house, and I am too, given that I have stayed cooped up other than visiting her as I am her only physical human contact. It's going to be fun!
I've seen my parent three or four times. Through glass with masks for the moments time glass was not feasible. This weekend was the first we occupied space no barrier other than social distance. it was... nice...
My mom still lives at home alone in the house I grew up and is able to take care of herself. I go over, get some take out, we eat, I help her with any financial stuff, and get groceries as necessary. We try to wear masks as much as we can except for eating together. We have also started zooming with the rest of the family, and she has really enjoyed that.
I don't have the energy to be a good son. Cat's in the Cradle... I try because time is precious. I fail.
Same. My parents live 8 hours away. I can work for someone else for 10 hours a day but can be assed to drive 8 hours to see my folks.
Well, and now when I want to go I'm not sure I should bring the Chi COVID down there.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General "“I like taking the guns early...to go to court would have taken a long time. So you could do exactly what you’re saying, but take the guns first, go through due process second.” -President Donald Trump. "...To guard, protect, and maintain his liberty, the freedman should have the ballot; that the liberties of the American people were dependent upon the Ballot-box, the Jury-box, and the Cartridge-box, that without these no class of people could live and flourish in this country." - Frederick Douglass MYT
LawBeefaroni wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2020 6:02 pm
Well, and now when I want to go I'm not sure I should bring the Chi COVID down there.
Reality is puppies. At a time when it's the absolute most clear that every opportunity to spend time with the elders who helped us become who we are, who are the gateway to who we were, who you want to just say thank you to every day. At a time, when people can't even say goodbye to their dying loved ones. At this time, we need to keep a healthy distance because we don't know if we'll kill them.
I live in a house with my wife, two boys, and my in-laws (80 and 90, both immune-compromised). We have been *super* careful since lockdown in mid-March in order to protect the elders. On the other hand, we're all close and have full-table dinner together every night.
My own parents are 1,100 miles (four flights round trip) away on the Gulf coast. We talk every two or three days, but I'm not sure when I'll be able to see them again. It doesn't help that my dad is going through chemo (though apparently very successfully).
If I've learned anything over the past three months, it's that there is no reason to ever leave home again, or let any other human get within 6' of me.
That said, I have to make one last trip to MI at some point this summer. We have to trash out my late BIL's house and sell it; we're still paying the bills to keep it alive in the meantime. And my sister starts chemo for ovarian cancer in a few weeks, leading up to surgery in the fall. I want to see her once more. Plus I'm supposed to meet all these new grand-nephews and -nieces who will wind up inheriting our money.
I think we're going to drive, two days each way, and spend 3 or 4 days there. Probably in August. I expect widespread rolling Covid shutdowns to start by September, so we have to do this while lodging and road food are still semi-open.
Grifman wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2020 12:57 pm
My 93 year old mom is excited. She's been cooped up for months and this past weekend I told her i was going to take her on a picnic and road trip. We are going to go up to the NC mountains, drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway and just cruise the day. She is so excited about getting out of the house, and I am too, given that I have stayed cooped up other than visiting her as I am her only physical human contact. It's going to be fun!
I've seen my parent three or four times. Through glass with masks for the moments time glass was not feasible. This weekend was the first we occupied space no barrier other than social distance. it was... nice...
My mom still lives at home alone in the house I grew up and is able to take care of herself. I go over, get some take out, we eat, I help her with any financial stuff, and get groceries as necessary. We try to wear masks as much as we can except for eating together. We have also started zooming with the rest of the family, and she has really enjoyed that.
I don't have the energy to be a good son. Cat's in the Cradle... I try because time is precious. I fail.
Well, I only live 40 minutes away, and I am retired, and I don't have the responsibility of a wife and kids. I'm certain if I was working with a family it would be a lot different. both of my brothers live 4 hours away and they have wives/kids so they come when they can. When my dad was around, I go see them every couple of weeks and take them to dinner. But since my dad dies almost 3 (!!!) years ago, I made a promise to myself that I would go see her every week, unless I was sick and/or out of town traveling. So far I've been able to keep that internal promise for the most part.
Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions. – G.K. Chesterton
NORTH CAROLINA, USA — On Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper said he’s considering making masks mandatory.
In response, the group Reopen NC showed their disapproval by creating an online movement.
Organizer Ashley Smith is calling it the Burn Your Mask Challenge.
"It's a very bold statement, we sort of have a knack for that," Smith said.
She said being forced to do anything defies personal liberty.
I legitimately wonder how people like Ashley Smith managed to negotiate modern society before COVID-19. I know it's been said before, but was she raging against being told to wear a shirt or shoes to enter a store? Was she organizing a "burn your seatbelt" protest? It's amazing to me how a tiny piece of cloth has become a symbol of oppression that cannot be tolerated.
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:03 amIt's amazing to me how a tiny piece of cloth has become a symbol of oppression that cannot be tolerated.
And here I was considering yesterday having a 'commemorative' mask made when this is finally "over" that has the overall death toll on it and a "never forget" style message, and then wearing it out in public regularly.
I've actually kind of grown to like wearing it, and think that for the rest of my life people will find them as "socially acceptable" in the US as they are elsewhere now.
Black Lives Matter
2021-01-20: The first good night's sleep I had in 4 years.
2025-01-20: The nightmares continue.
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:03 am
Hey North Carolina, are you ok?
NORTH CAROLINA, USA — On Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper said he’s considering making masks mandatory.
In response, the group Reopen NC showed their disapproval by creating an online movement.
Organizer Ashley Smith is calling it the Burn Your Mask Challenge.
"It's a very bold statement, we sort of have a knack for that," Smith said.
She said being forced to do anything defies personal liberty.
I legitimately wonder how people like Ashley Smith managed to negotiate modern society before COVID-19. I know it's been said before, but was she raging against being told to wear a shirt or shoes to enter a store? Was she organizing a "burn your seatbelt" protest? It's amazing to me how a tiny piece of cloth has become a symbol of oppression that cannot be tolerated.
I think having listened to this utter stupidity over and over that they are all convinced that this all was ginned up to destroy their way of life. That mask is a proxy for that. And it doesn't help that the President is a total piece of shit who has reinforced it for personal gain.
That is supporting evidence for me believing Florida's 20.5% population of 65+ could vote for Biden in November and swing the state blue. They aren't see a deathtoll yet, though.
(Also, Texas, wow, so much for statistically, things aren't getting worse positive test percentages, beds filled, total cases, FL, TX, and CA (and AZ) put us right back on the up up up ladder as a whole nation. One can only hope the death toll won't begin to follow suit in the next two weeks, with Florida throwing their hat in the ring, I don't see how that hope can be well founded)
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:03 am
Hey North Carolina, are you ok?
NORTH CAROLINA, USA — On Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper said he’s considering making masks mandatory.
In response, the group Reopen NC showed their disapproval by creating an online movement.
Organizer Ashley Smith is calling it the Burn Your Mask Challenge.
"It's a very bold statement, we sort of have a knack for that," Smith said.
She said being forced to do anything defies personal liberty.
I legitimately wonder how people like Ashley Smith managed to negotiate modern society before COVID-19. I know it's been said before, but was she raging against being told to wear a shirt or shoes to enter a store? Was she organizing a "burn your seatbelt" protest? It's amazing to me how a tiny piece of cloth has become a symbol of oppression that cannot be tolerated.
We have our share of idiots like everywhere else. I have friends that are otherwise very intelligent people, that have so bought into Trumpism that they just can't think logically and escape from it. They lambast the NC governor for no other real reason than he's a Democrat, even though I think he's getting good reviews, trying to follow the public health science, and fight a far right Republican legislature at the same time.
Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions. – G.K. Chesterton
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:03 am
Hey North Carolina, are you ok?
NORTH CAROLINA, USA — On Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper said he’s considering making masks mandatory.
In response, the group Reopen NC showed their disapproval by creating an online movement.
Organizer Ashley Smith is calling it the Burn Your Mask Challenge.
"It's a very bold statement, we sort of have a knack for that," Smith said.
She said being forced to do anything defies personal liberty.
I legitimately wonder how people like Ashley Smith managed to negotiate modern society before COVID-19. I know it's been said before, but was she raging against being told to wear a shirt or shoes to enter a store? Was she organizing a "burn your seatbelt" protest? It's amazing to me how a tiny piece of cloth has become a symbol of oppression that cannot be tolerated.
We have our share of idiots like everywhere else. I have friends that are otherwise very intelligent people, that have so bought into Trumpism that they just can't think logically and escape from it. They lambast the NC governor for no other real reason than he's a Democrat, even though I think he's getting good reviews, trying to follow the public health science, and fight a far right Republican legislature at the same time.
If you've only got your share you should take more of ours. Our cup runneth over. I'd like to bring down to a fair share. I could take appeal and say "so liberty means red lights are an advisory and should not force you to stop, and you want this liberty?" And the answer would be "yes". And then that conversation would be over because our ground rules for living in a society are so different I don't have the tools in my intellect to engage or come to common cause. My being prone to prejudice will be shown but I picture Ashley Smith as saying "All Taxation is theft" and meaning it, while she is on a public utility grid with Internet and phone and probably car, supporting her local police and military and complaining about foreigners dipping in to her social security.
Grifman wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2020 12:57 pm
My 93 year old mom is excited. She's been cooped up for months and this past weekend I told her i was going to take her on a picnic and road trip. We are going to go up to the NC mountains, drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway and just cruise the day. She is so excited about getting out of the house, and I am too, given that I have stayed cooped up other than visiting her as I am her only physical human contact. It's going to be fun!
I've seen my parent three or four times. Through glass with masks for the moments time glass was not feasible. This weekend was the first we occupied space no barrier other than social distance. it was... nice...
My mom still lives at home alone in the house I grew up and is able to take care of herself. I go over, get some take out, we eat, I help her with any financial stuff, and get groceries as necessary. We try to wear masks as much as we can except for eating together. We have also started zooming with the rest of the family, and she has really enjoyed that.
I don't have the energy to be a good son. Cat's in the Cradle... I try because time is precious. I fail.
Well, I only live 40 minutes away, and I am retired, and I don't have the responsibility of a wife and kids. I'm certain if I was working with a family it would be a lot different. both of my brothers live 4 hours away and they have wives/kids so they come when they can. When my dad was around, I go see them every couple of weeks and take them to dinner. But since my dad dies almost 3 (!!!) years ago, I made a promise to myself that I would go see her every week, unless I was sick and/or out of town traveling. So far I've been able to keep that internal promise for the most part.
That's awesome you are keeping up going over. My parents are in the their eighties and we finally got together for the first time since it started. They were wintering in AZ and left just in time to avoid the spike and this past weekend we had my siblings and parents over for a socially distanced summer bbq in our new backyard. It's true that absence makes the heart grow fonder, I can't express how special the simple get together was for all of us. The highlight was probably taking my niece out to see her first fireflies at a nearby natural area and just how radiant and happy my parents looked to see all of us again.
My blog (mostly photos): Fort Ephemera - My Flickr Photostream
“You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day, and you only get so many days on the planet. A good photographer does the math and doesn’t waste either.” ―Galen Rowell
Right that MCO clarification was the basis of my snark about the crisis communications. Getting basic facts wrong while dropping an alarming number is bad because the noise will outrun the signal here.
LordMortis wrote: Mon Jun 15, 2020 6:01 pm
It probably also doesn't help that two of my neighbors built instant backyard pools. I assume that's a thing now. A COVID this how we isolate at home thing. Doing a one day install of Really cheap above ground pools... and one of them is blasting music all day, inviting their friends and family to loud talk and drink while I am trying to WFH.
/grump
I learned today that this is, in fact, a thing. Apparently, you can't get pools anywhere right now, not inflatable nor the cheap (build yourself for 8-1500 nor even $3000+ above ground pools) Everywhere is completely sold out of everything.
LordMortis wrote: Mon Jun 15, 2020 6:01 pm
It probably also doesn't help that two of my neighbors built instant backyard pools. I assume that's a thing now. A COVID this how we isolate at home thing. Doing a one day install of Really cheap above ground pools... and one of them is blasting music all day, inviting their friends and family to loud talk and drink while I am trying to WFH.
/grump
I learned today that this is, in fact, a thing. Apparently, you can't get pools anywhere right now, not inflatable nor the cheap (build yourself for 8-1500 nor even $3000+ above ground pools) Everywhere is completely sold out of everything.
I'm trying to rebuild a bicycle and getting parts is a bitch.
I'm also hearing they RVs are selling out.
I've also noticed that it's not so much isolating at home, as finding a place to drink since bars are closed. Our neighbors had a party all day yesterday. Out other neighbors had a party Monday night.
It's annoying. My parties for the last 3 months have consisted of Steam, a bottle of whiskey, a 12- pack, and a few friends on discord. I'm expecting that to continue for the foreseeable future.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General "“I like taking the guns early...to go to court would have taken a long time. So you could do exactly what you’re saying, but take the guns first, go through due process second.” -President Donald Trump. "...To guard, protect, and maintain his liberty, the freedman should have the ballot; that the liberties of the American people were dependent upon the Ballot-box, the Jury-box, and the Cartridge-box, that without these no class of people could live and flourish in this country." - Frederick Douglass MYT
I feel like the harbinger of bad news lately, but I'll keep at it -- HELLO, ALABAMA:
Montgomery County, Alabama, home to the state's capital, is quickly emerging as a hot spot in the state’s battle against COVID-19, according to a leading health expert.
With nearly 3,000 people diagnosed with the coronavirus, Montgomery County now has more cases than any other county in the state, Dr. Don Williamson, the head of the Alabama State Hospital Association, told ABC News Tuesday.
...
As of Sunday, the intensive care unit (ICU) bed occupancy rate for Montgomery and Tuscaloosa Counties were each at 96%, according to the memo.
...
Hospitals statewide are now hitting their worst "trifecta" yet: the largest number of new hospitalizations in one day; the highest total number of hospitalized patients; and the lowest ICU capacity since the pandemic began.
Just 16% of ICU beds are still available statewide, Williamson noted. And according to the latest data available, some counties have even more worrisome figures: Tuscaloosa County has just one ICU bed available and Montgomery County has only three.
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:38 pm
I feel like the harbinger of bad news lately, but I'll keep at it -- HELLO, ALABAMA:
Montgomery County, Alabama, home to the state's capital, is quickly emerging as a hot spot in the state’s battle against COVID-19, according to a leading health expert.
With nearly 3,000 people diagnosed with the coronavirus, Montgomery County now has more cases than any other county in the state, Dr. Don Williamson, the head of the Alabama State Hospital Association, told ABC News Tuesday.
...
As of Sunday, the intensive care unit (ICU) bed occupancy rate for Montgomery and Tuscaloosa Counties were each at 96%, according to the memo.
...
Hospitals statewide are now hitting their worst "trifecta" yet: the largest number of new hospitalizations in one day; the highest total number of hospitalized patients; and the lowest ICU capacity since the pandemic began.
Just 16% of ICU beds are still available statewide, Williamson noted. And according to the latest data available, some counties have even more worrisome figures: Tuscaloosa County has just one ICU bed available and Montgomery County has only three.
Our plant manager spent the last week in Alabama. They drove from South Carolina and she said that going from GA to AL was like entering a different wold. In GA, most people were masked, they maintained their distance, and stores were setup to aid in that. In AL, she said less than 5% were masked and stores and people milled about as normal. Also, many people expressed the belief that it was a hoax (although that may have been more of a function of who she was around). So yeah.
Last edited by stessier on Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
My mom was talking to her brother in Tennessee and his kids, and they said they may head to NC for a visit. My mom was like, "Umm....not right now you're not. Not with the virus, etc."
Their response? "Oh we don't have that coronavirus in Tennessee." They then confirmed that nobody wore masks and basically they had no idea WTF she was going on about.
That's pretty insane (both stories). Meanwhile, yesterday Texas hit a new benchmark:
Texas reported almost twice as many new deaths from the novel coronavirus compared to New York on Tuesday, as the former state sees an ongoing spike in cases and hospitalizations related to the respiratory syndrome.
According to the latest data from Texas' Department of State Health Services (DSHS), at least 46 people passed away from the novel coronavirus on Tuesday. The number approached Texas' single-day high of 58 deaths from the virus, reported on May 14. In New York, daily fatalities have declined significantly over the last several weeks.
As a reminder:
Wearing face masks in public spaces is not mandatory in Texas, as it is in New York, but Governor Abbott has encouraged residents to use them. In response to increasing case counts in and around Texas' major cities, the mayors of Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Forth Worth, Arlington, El Paso, Grand Prairie, and Plano wrote a letter to Abbott on Tuesday asking for authority to "enforce the wearing of face coverings in public venues where physical distancing cannot be practiced."
It kinda feels like maybe reality is going to come crashing in sooner than later. Stay safe southern state OOers.
YellowKing wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:52 pm
My mom was talking to her brother in Tennessee and his kids, and they said they may head to NC for a visit. My mom was like, "Umm....not right now you're not. Not with the virus, etc."
Their response? "Oh we don't have that coronavirus in Tennessee." They then confirmed that nobody wore masks and basically they had no idea WTF she was going on about.
Even if he believes that coronavirus isn't currently present in Tennessee, doesn't he understand that that's how it would then *get* to Tennessee? I.e. people driving from TN to places where it exists, then driving back?
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:38 pm
I feel like the harbinger of bad news lately, but I'll keep at it -- HELLO, ALABAMA:
Hospitals statewide are now hitting their worst "trifecta" yet: the largest number of new hospitalizations in one day; the highest total number of hospitalized patients; and the lowest ICU capacity since the pandemic began.
Just 16% of ICU beds are still available statewide, Williamson noted. And according to the latest data available, some counties have even more worrisome figures: Tuscaloosa County has just one ICU bed available and Montgomery County has only three.
The hospital to watch is UAB Medical Center in Birmingham. It's the largest hospital in the state, and the best-equipped.
When it begins to run out of room, the whole state will be fuct.
This is playing out like a lot of things. until it affects you (in general, not anyone specific), its someone else's problem.
Unfortunately by the time these states realize that it's too late.
I also wonder for places like FL where the governor says no more lockdowns, IS there any number of deaths that would change their minds or as long as they are the last one standing they win? I seriously wonder for some of these states what their price for human life is.
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:03 am
Hey North Carolina, are you ok?
NORTH CAROLINA, USA — On Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper said he’s considering making masks mandatory.
In response, the group Reopen NC showed their disapproval by creating an online movement.
Organizer Ashley Smith is calling it the Burn Your Mask Challenge.
"It's a very bold statement, we sort of have a knack for that," Smith said.
She said being forced to do anything defies personal liberty.
I legitimately wonder how people like Ashley Smith managed to negotiate modern society before COVID-19. I know it's been said before, but was she raging against being told to wear a shirt or shoes to enter a store? Was she organizing a "burn your seatbelt" protest? It's amazing to me how a tiny piece of cloth has become a symbol of oppression that cannot be tolerated.
In early June our CEO sent out a memo saying that starting June 8th, everyone that works in the office is required to wear a mask. A couple of weeks later he had to send out a follow-up saying he understands that some people were uncomfortable with the masks both physically and ideologically, but there were no exceptions. If you felt you couldn't wear a mask, you could talk to HR about your options. It's weird to think I know and work with people who would object to a mask on an ideological basis.
Last edited by Alefroth on Wed Jun 17, 2020 4:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wow, that is a stark graph. American society is really failing when it becomes a political litmus test on whether you accept COVID as real or if one should wear a mask to protect our fellow citizens.
My blog (mostly photos): Fort Ephemera - My Flickr Photostream
“You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day, and you only get so many days on the planet. A good photographer does the math and doesn’t waste either.” ―Galen Rowell
I suspect a population density mapping would look pretty similar.
That being said, Texas said all the right things and then did the opposite.
Black Lives Matter
"To wield Grond, the mighty hammer of the Federal Government, is to be intoxicated with power beyond what you and I can reckon (though I figure we can ball park it pretty good with computers and maths). Need to tunnel through a mountain? Grond. Kill a mighty ogre? Grond. Hangnail? Grond. Spider? Grond (actually, that's a legit use, moreso than the rest)." - Peacedog
noxiousdog wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 4:46 pm
Correlation does not imply causation.
And that's a 100% correlative graph so it can highly misleading if one assumes causation.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General "“I like taking the guns early...to go to court would have taken a long time. So you could do exactly what you’re saying, but take the guns first, go through due process second.” -President Donald Trump. "...To guard, protect, and maintain his liberty, the freedman should have the ballot; that the liberties of the American people were dependent upon the Ballot-box, the Jury-box, and the Cartridge-box, that without these no class of people could live and flourish in this country." - Frederick Douglass MYT
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:38 pm
I feel like the harbinger of bad news lately, but I'll keep at it -- HELLO, ALABAMA:
Hospitals statewide are now hitting their worst "trifecta" yet: the largest number of new hospitalizations in one day; the highest total number of hospitalized patients; and the lowest ICU capacity since the pandemic began.
Just 16% of ICU beds are still available statewide, Williamson noted. And according to the latest data available, some counties have even more worrisome figures: Tuscaloosa County has just one ICU bed available and Montgomery County has only three.
The hospital to watch is UAB Medical Center in Birmingham. It's the largest hospital in the state, and the best-equipped.
When it begins to run out of room, the whole state will be fuct.
in my tracking of WA's descent through the infection ranking, it now appears that AL is set to swap places within the next 24 hours:
noxiousdog wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 4:46 pm
Correlation does not imply causation.
And that's a 100% correlative graph so it can highly misleading if one assumes causation.
Right it is definitely interesting and potential evidence considering controls have been relaxed and people are being observed taking more risks. It'll be a long time until we know what is real and what isn't though.
What's crazier about Alabama vs. Washington is that Washington has 2 times the population. With similar numbers the per capita rate of confirmed cases is doubled in AL. And Washington was an initial cluster. I think we'll see evidence that lower population densities won't save people.
One of my service calls today brought me to a bank that shares a parking lot with a biker bar.
Even though the bank lobby is closed it was hard to find a spot to park at 2:00 PM. There were at least 20 bikes parked against the bar building and a dozen trucks in the lot. I saw a guy get out of his truck, shout and dash over to some guys hanging by their bikes and give the two of them a big hug.
I haven't been in that bar since High School but I don't remember it being more than MAYBE 75 person capacity.
Still, riding without a helmet will probably kill them sooner.
Z-Corn wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 6:21 pm
Still, riding without a helmet will probably kill them sooner.
I took the kids for a bike ride the other day and marveled at the number of wanna-be organ donors riding on the path. Almost none had a brain bucket. This is the same town where my cousin's wife died earlier this year from terminal stupidity...she was biking without a helmet, crashed and sustained a fatal brain injury.
I got a rather stunning example of the power of the MAGA cult today.
Mom and were talking to my aunt. She is the one who spent 12 days in ICU and who lost her husband to COVID-19. Both she and my uncle were always rabid Trumpers, it was just something we all agreed never to discuss at family gatherings.
Mom asked her if, given her experience, she was concerned about people who still weren’t wearing masks, doing social distancing, or taking any other precautions. Her response? “Absolutely not. I may have lost a lot, but I still believe people shouldn’t give in to the liberal agenda. That’s just unamerican.”
I was floored. This is a woman who had just buried her husband of 50+ years, almost died herself, and said that the whole COVID-19 ordeal was the most horrible illness she’d ever experienced. Yet she was still 100% adamant that people shouldn’t take any precautions to prevent the spread because “muh freedoms”. I honestly had no idea how to respond, other than a quick “wow” before frantically trying to change the subject.
Still trying to wrap my head around it.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 9:21 pm
No disrespect intended, but your aunt is in a cult.
Oh, for sure. It’s incredibly sad to see.
There’s been this feeling that once the awfulness of COVID-19 hits Trumpland instead of the big cities, that they will eventually and grudgingly change their behavior as a result. This interaction strengthened my feeling that the MAGA response will never change, even if/when the virus affects them directly.
The rest of us are left with finding ways to mitigate the damage as best we can, given that reality.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
