https://youtu.be/OmtfFAqUwtI

In WA state where I live, the Gov just made vaccinations mandatory for employment, unless you have a religious or medical exemption. He also made masks mandatory, again. I agree with these measures, but many in my state and across the country do not, to the point they’re becoming increasingly belligerent and violent. Somebody got stabbed in an LA street fight between MAGA Proud Boys protesting vaccines and counter protesting AntiFa. We have the same knuckleheads here where I live in Olympia. Last year two people were killed in street fighting between the two sides.

Personally I think we should just ignore extremists, and ani-maskers/anti-vaxers, but some of them are in my family and tough to ignore/avoid. My Nazi TBM family refuse to get vaccinated and refuse to wear masks unless a business threatens them with getting thrown out.
We already have a teacher, nurse, bus driver shortage and many of them refuse to be vaccinated, so they will get fired.
Many of the building owners we lease from tell us they are not willing to submit to the Governors mandate. Building costs will skyrocket, again, due to already tight labor market and supply chain shortages. Now we are telling already scarce employees you’re fired if you don’t get a shot. My co-workers are abandoning ship rather than deal with the predictable sh!t storm headed our direction.
Nobody has any answers and we have zero direction in dealing with the pushback.
Kind of like being a Mormon.

I can't believe I am saying this because I despise both Mormonism and Catholicism, but to their credit, both leaders of said faiths told their followers to get the damn vaccine. How much that will help remains to be seen.

No idea about Evangelical leadership, but there has been notable cases of their crew doing stupid stuff, up to and including resulting in deaths. (Kirk Cameron, the insufferable, pseudoscience-peddling POS is a fine example of someone who facilitated large gatherings of people in the middle of a fing pandemic.)

But, I digress. To you point, OP, yah, things are getting nuts. I don't see much in the way of a light at the end of the tunnel. :\

They (religions) all have given mixed signals, IMO. They push God's will and faith and all that crap.

Ditto on the mixed messages. Straddling the divide isn't really sustainable although the politicians are often adept at talking out of both sides of their mouths so the religious leaders should study them.

Reminds me of the early 70’s in a way. I grew up in a college town so we had all the anti-war protests and hippi madness. We also had biker gangs who would run off the hippies so they could take over the park. As a kid I couldn’t go to the park because one form of madness or another took it over. Get a job and a hair cut was often shouted from passing cars.

For clarification

Rusty has told mormons to wear masks and get the shot.

Is your family following the prophet?

I have noticed in my area of Davis County Utah, most business have signs asking you to mask but no one enforcing it.

90 percent of people are not masked.

I agree, here is another incident of people losing the figgin minds...
In Utah county (Lehi) there was a teacher who got fired yesterday because she dared tell her darling students that it's unfair to her that she has to be around unvaccinated students. She also went on some crazy rant about how she hates D.T. and that the kids parents were stupid and responsible for climate change. The pandemic deniers/anti vaxer teenagers didn't like being told they were dumb and decided to snitched. The worst part is that the weak ass administration sided with the parents. It's sickening.

Shouldn't the teachers Union side with the teachers and demand that teachers be protected?

https://www.ksl.com/article/50225272/lehi-teacher-no-longer-employed-after-controversial-political-speech-to-class

Maybe I'm wrong on this one, And the school district did the right thing. After looking at the video again what she said is pretty bad. Telling kids to get out if they don't believe lgbtq agenda, climate change agenda. And don't listen to your parents...
The woman has lost her mind!

She seems to have had a Howard Beale moment. Shame she did it in public as it will hurt her career and may have only been a thing of the moment. All the selfishness of the anti-vaxers and the bigoted fueled by religion got to her and caused a melt down. I feel for her.

It sounds like she had a complete meltdown. The school district initially did the right thing by putting her on administrative leave. After that, it's unclear as to the exact circumstances under which she left. She may well have considered it better to resign than be fired.

In my district, a tenured teacher would be put on administrative leave while the appeals process played out. That normally takes about 18 months.

As a teacher, you have to know your audience. She worked for a conservative school district. Most teachers are circumspect about what they say to students, but I've seen some high school teachers who skirt closer to the line. Teachers who want to keep their jobs have a pretty good sense of what will or will not fly.

As a STEM teacher I don't want to say that she is completely unemployable, but she's certainly made it very difficult for herself.

As a teacher, I'm concerned about the anti-mask parents. I've read a few stories of parents assaulting school staff, and trying to rip masks off of teachers' faces. I've seen a lot of crazy things over the years, but this ramps it up to a whole new level.

If you click on the link in the OP it talks about that recent incident. A parent ripped the mask off of a principal at an open house and a teacher intervened to stop the assault and the parent put the teacher in the hospital needing stiches.

School board members lives were threatened after they voted for a mask mandate at their schools.

Meanwhile the virus is worse than ever and nothing around here is shutting down any time soon. The bars, restaurants, stores, everything is open just like usual, yet there are more people hospitalized and dying of Covid than at the height of the pandemic back in December. 90% of the people are not wearing masks, even though the signs on the store say they're required, nobody is enforcing it anymore because they're tired of dealing with the often violent backlash. We had a store employee get shot at a local Walmart for asking a customer to wear a mask.
If I were a teacher and I had to deal with angry Covidiot parents shouting in my face about their ignorant opinions, it'd take everything in me to keep from punching them in the mouth. I work with some Covidiots.
It's a good thing we all work remotely and they're probably getting fired because they wont get vaccinated.

What on earth does this have to do with music?

+666!

+one very heavy duck.

Let the record reflect that I AM heavy -- particularly for a duck -- though not especially fat. I'm 6'3" (legitimately as opposed to being closer to 6'1.5" but claiming 6'3" to avoid being classified as "obese," a la #45) and usually am between 175 and 180. My mother-in-law prepared lechon asado, and I very nearly ate the equivalent to my weight in the stuff the night before I weighed in at 181.

With a mother-in-law like that, anyone would be obese.

;-)

Well, the RFM board is finally able to voice some opinions! Somehow, I always knew the people on here would agree with me (except MacaRomney, of course).

There seems to be "cluster-thinking" going on, meaning that the same people who have always complained about masks, distancing, and who don't believe the virus is that bad, or even if there is such a thing as a pandemic--those are the same people who are now refusing to get the vaccine, and who belong to cults like Q-Anon, are racist, etc.

I knew even without saying, which of my relatives would probably be vaccinated, when I went to our reunion last week, because I know them as people, and know how they think. 1/2 are Mormon. The oldest of that side of my family, who's been a bishop, SPres, mission president, with 12 children and who-knows-how- many grandchildren is the only one who is anti-vax, and he uses his power, money, and threats to force all those children, grandchildren, g-grandchildren. His wife writes insane letters to the editor published in the Des News. His brothers and sisters deliberately did not invite him or any of that family to the reunion. They were merely protecting their loved ones, and helping the community abate the spread of germs, but the non-vaccinated took offense, and aren't speaking to the others. This does work just like Mormonism, in splitting up families.

I don't talk about the pandemic politics, because of self-preservation. I do better in life with a positive attitude. The first few months of the pandemic, I got a bad ulcer and was very sick, from the stress of the insanity all around me. We do all we can, but Monday my grandchildren started back to a school that Governor Cox ordered could not have a mask mandate--FORBADE us to protect our dear children. One congressman said "Well, 90% of kids who get Covid don't die, anyway." A group of mothers were whining that their kids couldn't learn French, without seeing their teacher's mouth--and French immersion is more important than public health safety I won't go into the insane thinking here--we've all heard it. We all have to deal with it. The private schools are all full, of course.

Trust me, our neighborhoods and schools where I live in SLC are working long and hard to get the children the protection they need and deserve! I'm volunteering to help, for my family, who went far out of their way to protect ME, and other at-risk people. We will never give up, from day to day. I have names of all the political officials who voted against the RIGHT to keep our children healthy. That list is everywhere! Their followers can burn our lawns, but we have the power to vote them out of their jobs.

Schrodlinger's Cat--did you invent the word "Covidiots?" We wouldn't dare use that term here in Utah, as we really are in danger of being attacked--especially around the schools. I have horror stories.... Our local district school board was literally bullied into voting, by "protesters", many who didn't live anywhere near here. Nevertheless, most of our board will be voted out of office next year, because they caved.

I have had friends die of Covid. Four elderly vaccinated friends have Covid right now. Every day, our little unvaccinated kids are in peril. My surgery was postponed, due to crowded hospitals. We all will play computer-tag and wait in long lines again for a booster shot(and thank God for it), starting next month, all over again. I don't care if I never see that racist (anti-Afganistan, anti-Asian) anti-vax cousin or his 12 clone children ever again. That's how much I loathe them. These are not among those who are genuinely afraid,superstitious,isolated, uneducated, or who don't have easy access to the vaccine. These fools know better.

Do the fools need a "cause." Are they bored? Most of the school protesters obviously didn't have jobs.

And I used to love everyone! >^..^<

"Covidiots"--lol. Will these take the place of the Biblical "unclean?" My their (lack of) masks, ye shall know them.

Coming to a place near you. I'm sure there will be a number of such facilities across the world.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/construction-of-mickleham-quarantine-camp-is-under-way-20210812-p58i50.html

Construction is under way at Melbourne’s Centre for National Resilience – the unwieldy name given to the new quarantine facility in Mickleham – with the camp set to open by the end of the year.

A community engagement session was held earlier this week on progress of the fast-tracked 1000-bed accommodation site for returning travellers, however residents were told that builders would not be delayed by any consultation process.

Earthworks have begun at an empty paddock in Melbourne’s north, which sits next to the federal government’s pet quarantine facility and is about 300 metres from homes.

They have taken this seriously in AU. Break quarantine, they will come after you. State lockdowns applied to everyone no matter how much money you had or the fact you have a private jet. They are doing a hell of a lot better with it than we are and my friends there are happy for it and happy to comply. Just another reason I wish I could move there. Wombats being #1.

I always had a sneaking suspicion that you were a Wombatophile.
IF you every do move... please take me with you. I store easily in the overhead, and once we get there I won't pester you for a place to live or food.
;)

HH =)

You bet you can come H.H. :) This is where we will go. They have a lovely wombie group there and the whole community helps out. Imagine that, the whole damn town works together.

https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/bundanoon-nsw

https://www.wombatcarebundanoon.com.au/

Has anyone done a study to determine the overlap between anti maskers and those who believe that professional wrestling is real?

I think the woman should have been fired. She is in a position of being a teacher, not a politician. If I found out a teacher did this in a class my kids were in, I'd report her. I'd hope my kids would take a movie of her. This was SO OUT OF LINE.

The teachers are employed by the taxpayer. She had no right to go off like that.

My family has a lot of teachers and both my sister and my niece (my niece hasn't been mormon since a teenager and she is 43) were shocked and said they'd get fired in Idaho for doing something like this and they wouldn't do it anyway. My dad would have felt the same way.

This was so far out of line and I have no empathy whatsoever for her.

From the person who doesn't get shingles vaccination or flu vaccination, I have said I got the COVID vaccination as soon as I could. Now I will get the booster. My boyfriend told me yesterday that I now qualify for the immune booster so I can probably get it soon. I was just diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, although my doctor has suspected I've had it for a while. Actually, just started hydroxychloroquine. My mother had RA. I don't know if it is genetic, but finally I have an answer to what has been going on for a while.

I'm sorry about the RA, cl2, although I know it's a relief once a diagnosis is made as at least you know the reason for the symptoms you've been experiencing and a treatment plan can be developed.

You mentioned that your mother had RA. It is believed that there is a genetic component.

Info from the Mayo Clinic:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353648

Excerpts:

“Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder. An autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body's tissues.

“Normally, your immune system helps protect your body from infection and disease. In rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system attacks healthy tissue in your joints. It can also cause medical problems with your heart, lungs, nerves, eyes and skin.

“Doctors don't know what starts this process, although a genetic component appears likely. While your genes don't actually cause rheumatoid arthritis, they can make you more likely to react to environmental factors — such as infection with certain viruses and bacteria — that may trigger the disease.

“Factors that may increase your risk of rheumatoid arthritis include:

“Your sex. Women are more likely than men to develop rheumatoid arthritis.

“Age. Rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, but it most commonly begins in middle age.

“Family history. If a member of your family has rheumatoid arthritis, you may have an increased risk of the disease.”



Too, you mention being on hydroxychloroquine, in a thread about COVID-19, so to clarify for any reader who may jump to the wrong conclusions, you have been prescribed hydroxychloroquine for the rheumatoid arthritis, which is a known recommended treatment for RA.

Here’s an article about a study of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19 which concluded there is no benefit from the drug for patients diagnosed with CV.

From National Institutes of Health, (US Department of Health and Human Services), Nov 9, 2020 (the latest date I could find on this topic):

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/hydroxychloroquine-does-not-benefit-adults-hospitalized-covid-19

Excerpts:

“The Prevention and Early Treatment of Acute Lung Injury (PETAL) Clinical Trials Network of NHLBI started the trial in April at 34 hospitals across the United States and enrolled 479 of the expected 510 patients. By June, preliminary evidence indicated hydroxychloroquine was unlikely to offer any benefit.

“The finding that hydroxychloroquine is not effective for the treatment of COVID-19 was consistent across patient subgroups and for all evaluated outcomes, including clinical status, mortality, organ failures, duration of oxygen use, and hospital length of stay,” said Wesley Self, M.D., M.P.H., emergency medicine physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and PETAL Clinical Trials Network investigator who led the ORCHID trial. He also noted that the finding was consistent with similar trials in the United Kingdom and Brazil.”

-----

Re the types of medications and vaccines that may be contraindicated in a person who has rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease, of course your treating physician/s (GP, specialist/s) will be the best ones to advise you on that. Your caution to date is understandable and now you have more information about what you're working with.

Good luck with it all. It's true that "it's always something". Sometimes it feels like there isn't time to catch your breath. That's life!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2021 01:51PM by Nightingale.

is wrong and the doctors haven't helped much at all over the years and I type for a living. My doctor actually looked at my hands 6 weeks ago and said, "You still type???!!!!" She wanted to put me on hydroxy months ago, but couldn't get it approved for me as she thought I had it. I haven't had any bad side effects from it (like vomiting--just what I don't want) so far. It has been a long process.

My family all thought I had it and my daughter told me several years ago that my hands looked like my mom's.

Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.

I went outside for a few hours today and I was wearing sunscreen. But since the people I was with were not wearing sunscreen, I got sunburned.

Yes, people are losing their minds.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2021 11:52PM by azsteve.

… maybe keep editing?

Hahahahahahahahaha ha ha haha ha

azsteve Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I went outside for a few hours today and I was
> wearing sunscreen. But since the people I was with
> were not wearing sunscreen, I got sunburned.

Yes, you are losing your mind.

And that's not even an original analogy.

And it's ridiculous.

And does not equate.

Maybe you should have taken livestock ivermectin for your sunburn.

I hear bleach works if you take it intravenously. Some say injecting sunlight is equally effective, but that seems likely to give a sensitive person like azsteve an internal sunburn.

Aren't you coming due for your next booster shot now? Better get to it. I hear that the grim reaper is coming for those who are late on their booster shots. Maybe if you never leave the house, wear five masks at all times, and never be late for your booster shots, he will pass you by. But be very afraid. Just do what you're told to do and you'll be safe.

. . . maybe keep editing?

azsteve Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just do what you're told to do and
> you'll be safe.

Well, for four years you've done exactly as a political charlatan instructed, so I'm not sure you have much room to offer advice about intellectual or moral independence.

The difference between you and me, azsteve, is that I adhere to science and you follow the Pied Piper.

Were you infected with sunshinitus, with massive amounts of thermonuclear radiation emitting from your body?

I think it's more likely your friends were covered in BS than in sunshine.

The unvaccinated are giving new meaning to the term, "Bad Breath."

Your right to breathe ends where my lungs begin. Cut the crap, anti-vaxers.

I think that the problem could be largely solved if businesses - ALL kinds of businesses - would agree to put up signs saying something like this:

"We have the right to refuse to do business with you if

1) You cannot produce proof that you have been fully
vaccinated against COVID.

2) You fail wear a mask not only upon entry, but throughout your time in our facility. If you fail to do so, you will be escorted out immediately.

3) If you are unable to wear a mask due to a medical condition, please bring a letter from your physician stating so.

4) If you are unable to wear a mask or get a vaccination because your religion prohibits it, please bring a letter from your place of worship stating that this is their policy. You must have been a member of this place of worship for at least three years (i.e., not a recent convert.)

If you refuse to comply, we don't need your business."

REMEMBER: IT'S YOUR CHOICE!!

Think of the potential. If enough businesses joined together in enforcing this, the anti-compliers would literally have no place to go. (Except to Canada or Mexico, who wouldn't want them either.)

I know this sounds harsh. But they have already shown by their behavior that they don't care about anybody's health, including their own. Do we really need people like that around when there is a deadly pandemic going on?