Does anyone care what Joe Biden has to say about masks?
Yesterday a friend of mine mentioned that Biden was going to make some announcement today about masks, and I chuckled and asked, “Who cares?”
This is what Biden said today on the subject:
President Joe Biden, speaking outdoors without a mask and touting what he called the “stunning progress” made in the fight against COVID-19, on Tuesday echoed new CDC guidance that fully vaccinated Americans can now go without masks when outside in many cases.
“Starting today, if you’re fully vaccinated, and you’re outdoors … and not in a big crowd, you no longer need to wear a mask,” Biden said, speaking on the White House grounds on a sunny spring afternoon.
Stop the presses, folks.
Before this announcement, was anyone who was fully vaccinated actually wearing masks outside when gathering with other vaccinated people? If so, I’ve certainly not encountered any. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve been at three social gatherings featuring small-to-medium groups of people where all were vaccinated. The first one had about ten people and was held outside. The second and third had six people and twelve people, and were both held inside and involved (among other things) hugging when saying hello and sitting at a table for a regular meal. Not a single person had a mask on at any point, and most of them were over the age of 60 and therefore at higher risk than younger people would be.
What’s more, all of them (except me and one other person) were Biden voters and lifelong Democrats. So I think we can safely say that even Biden voters are not waiting for The Word from either Biden or the august CDC. And if they’re not, then who is? Do any of you know anyone who might be?
I realize there’s always a slight risk of contracting the disease, but this is true no matter what you do, short of becoming a totally self-sufficient hermit. And that has other risks.
I have never personally experienced a government more utterly disconnected from the reality of people’s lives and yet seemingly immune from serious criticism in the MSM. Oh, I’m aware that such governments have existed, although not in my lifetime in this country. But that’s what we have now, and most of the people I know seem perfectly fine with it and even relieved.
But they aren’t listening to Biden or waiting for his pronouncements on anything. He seems irrelevant to them. And really, isn’t that a realistic assessment? I don’t think he’s steering this ship, although I think he’s onboard with the direction in which it’s heading.
The insanity of mandating masks, there being no evidence whatsoever of their efficacy, is most apparent in the recent order by Whitmer (every bit as brainless and odious as Cuomo and Newsom) that children as young as two in her state should wear masks in a public setting. Not only does this clearly constitute a form of child abuse, but it demonstrates, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the draconian COVID regulations have nothing whatsoever to do with science (in which ignorant leftists ostentatiously claim to believe) and everything to with power, the “forever pandemic” being the perfect means towards exercising ever more totalitarian control.
Not in my part of CO. Still see most people wearing masks outside, and in cars and on bikes. People of all ages. I stopped wearing one inside stores several weeks ago. No issues or problems. Outside, stopped in April, of last year. Last summer neighbors did some anti social distancing but now that has stopped completely too.
Virtually no one cares about anything Biden says, or, Biden in general. Democrats and lefties only go through the motions in promoting and defending him. Republicans and conservatives (myself included) mostly have no interest working up indignation about him. The reason is obvious: he is a figurehead, and everyone knows it. He entered office a ‘lame duck’. We all assume he will be gone at some point before January 20, 2025, either due to death or the 25th Amendment. It’s just a matter of ‘when’. In the meantime, few doubt the Obami are running things (Democrats celebrate it), and that it’s a waste of energy to spend much time listening to the talking points this sock puppet president recites to the best of his (diminished) ability.
Sundowner better come up with a bigger better carrot than that one.
I do see mask wearers walking alone on streets, driving in cars, they have made society into germaphobics
In western WA it’s pretty much like SHIREHOME says about CO except if you try to not wear a mask indoors at say a store be prepared to get confronted by people and probably management if you stay very long.
Now if you go to more rural areas not so much. I went to a restaurant over on the coast a couple weeks ago and it was almost maskless they weren’t pretending that you need to wear one walking to the table or going to the bathroom. But that will not fly in many places in the central Puget Sound area.
Nobody cares about what Biden thinks but by this point the mask zealots have so locked in their position it doesn’t matter. That is why I don’t think this will ever return to normal in many blue states or areas.
If it weren’t for the actual political power Biden has I would say that he is about as relevant to me as the Oscars (which I have only paid attention to when you, Neo, did you fashion critic of who wore what on the red carpet)
That is why I don’t think this will ever return to normal in many blue states or areas.
You need to get a grip. Epidemics come and go. As for the paraphenalia, eventually people get tired of it.
considering that he has left the zoom calls with the governors to harris, and then to cuomo, (is this thing on)
Art Deco,
I am not talking about the pandemic that has been done for awhile in this country I’m talking about the response and I talk to a lot of people who say they are going to keep wearing masks indoors. Plus the restrictions on crowds will continue for a long time also and the excuse will be variants and the flu or whatever.
Yes many things will slowly disappear over the years but the methods they have used will be used again and again for whatever the latest health panic is so in effect they will never end as threat hanging over people.
Reffed my first soccer game in a year at a tournament this past weekend. Had a a couple of teenage refs working and a state level ref assessing them. State level ref close to my age and said he was fully vaccinated. Wearing a mask and said he was not reffing and getting near the kids on the field until it’s all over. Guess he won’t be reffing anytime soon. What a fool.
I tuned in to the local NPR station for a bit this morning, hoping for some classical music. I guess it was still the tail end of Morning Edition. They were interviewing a doctor who, from the bit I heard, was preaching a return to the terror of last spring. And a woman in New Jersey whose children had just recently gotten sick from covid. I didn’t stick around very long but it sounds like they are determined to keep this going indefinitely. You can kind of hear in their voices that they somehow get off on it. Maybe just an enhanced sense of being in on something big.
I have a nephew that plays college baseball. They are tested weekly but they were forced to forfeit a game because they celebrated a walk off victory at home plate without all being masked and a couple of teams they have played all wore masks even the outfielders.
If you do enough of that kind of thing to younger people there are going to a portion that are not going to recover from that and be the way they were before.
“Does anyone care what Joe Biden has to say about masks?”
No.
Nope. Nor “Fauci the Fallible”..
One note. About three weeks after her 2nd Pfizer, my 24 year old granddaughter caught Covid from one of her roommates who had flown in from Texas. It was a mild case for the most part. She said it felt like a cold. However she, as did her Mother, is experiencing wild swings in heart rate. She said her rate has reached 180BPM at times. My daughter has had the side effect since last summer. Her swings have become less extreme over the year–unless she is just saying to not worry the old folks. Initially her heart rate varied between 40 and 140BPM. That is scary.
It is a purely personal decision as to how an individual goes about protecting themselves. I would not fault anyone; except the people who impose shutdowns on whole communities/states.
I have no idea whether masks are effective or not. I do not believe the people who scoff at them anymore than I believe the experts who have flip flopped so often.
I have had my shots. I do not object to wearing a mask in a confined public area; if nothing else as a courtesy to anyone around me who feels insecure.
Of course even if you take what he actually said it’s nonsense.
‘if you’re fully vaccinated, and you’re outdoors…and not in a big crowd, you no longer need to wear a mask’
There is and never has been any evidence for wearing a mask outside whether vaccinated or not. It goes to show how ridiculously controlling this all is because this ‘big’ announcement has been hyped for a few days as Biden was going to say you don’t have to wear a mask outdoors but then he doesn’t even come close to that.
didn’t stick around very long but it sounds like they are determined to keep this going indefinitely.
And they’ll fail at it. The accumulation of data thus far indicates that various mitigation measures are weak vectors in influencing outcomes. The handwashing, the disinfectant wipes, the masks, &c. The strong vectors are (1) being indoors with recirculated air and (2) being old and (3) being overweight. Eventually the whole business will seem lame. Nothing the Grand Dukes of Lame at NPR can do about that.
Note, one thing this last 14 months has revealed is that public health is a ‘profession’ about one-ratchet north of social work in it’s rigor and reliability. (Either that or the interaction between public health specialists and Democratic pols produces crappy outcomes every time). This virus is not a danger to people under 45 and it isn’t a danger to people between 45 and 60 unless they have a high BMI (and our single best guess thus far is that a BMI over 40 is more risky by far than one just past 30). So, where in the country have you seen public health measures crafted to protect the old? Where have you seen hortatory campaigns recommending people take up daily constitutionals to shed some pounds to protect themselves? Instead, they shut the schools, which are populated by demographic segments almost invulnerable to the virus. And then there was Peter Szilagyi’s committee at the CDC, which unanimously recommended giving priority to ‘diversity’ considerations over just getting the vulnerable vaccinated.
It’s almost as if perverse behavior and stupidity are positively correlated with holding a position of influence in our society.
Well, as Heinlein said:
Stupidity cannot be cured. Stupidity is the only universal capital crime; the sentence is death. There is no appeal, and execution is carried out automatically and without pity.
What do we do to see to it that the high-class stupid people cannot injure the rest of us?
Another amazing side effect of this entire thing is how apparently now nobody cares about HIPPA anymore. Anybody that has ever been in the hospital or had a loved one in the hospital comes up against HIPPA all the time or been in a workplace where something happens to someone and it’s all HIPPA this and HIPPA that but now it’s almost completely reversed where inquiring about your private medical choices is everybody’s business and not talking gets you in trouble.
In my Michigan Gov. Whitmer has extended the age required to wear masks down to age 2. Before it was age 5 and above. Toddlers, I guess, are the cause of the surge in cases here.<sarc.
I never really wore the mask outdoors unless moments away from going indoors or within a facility confines that mandated masks, such as a gardening store. The only exception was during the February 2021 freeze, when wearing the mask outdoors was better than breathing the cold air directly. I’ll do what a business owner asks, if I care to do business with them. Otherwise, I have zero interest in giving government control over what goes on my face.
I also realized that enforcement was near zero in my area. Calls to defund cops didn’t really endear officers I know with wanting to help enforce spurious laws. Besides, if they were letting criminals out of jail to prevent the spread of Covid, why arrest someone or even give them a citation for violating a law not passed by any legislation? So I didn’t listen to leaders at the Federal, State, or local levels that mandated masks. Biden is merely the most current on of them.
If you do enough of that kind of thing to younger people there are going to a portion that are not going to recover from that and be the way they were before.
Ever seen the film As Good as It Gets? That’s who won’t recover. If it’s not COVID anxiety, it’ll be leaving the stove on.
Art+Deco,
“The strong vectors are (1) being indoors with recirculated air…”
Which should have been obvious at least since this study, done in early 2020, was released in July 2020.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0764_article
As a courtesy, it (wearing the mask) keeps Big Foot away too. Not sure if it works for Werewolves or Nessie (if you are kayaking). CDC and Creepy Joe will let us know in due time.
Art Deco,
Yes, I agree if it’s not this it might be something else only this has been so all encompassing for over a year now that virtually everyone has been affected by it in some way so that increases the pool of ‘victims’ so to speak.
Climate change is such a nebulous thing that most people never give it any thought hence it always ranking like 18th on a list of people’s concerns but this has been everywhere.
neo wonders,“Does anyone care what Joe Biden has to say about masks?”
Rufus answers, No.
Agree with a caveat. While no one cares what Joe Biden says about anything, that’s the wrong question. Neo’s liberal friends deeply care about what the media tells them to think… it’s group-think on a scale heretofore unimagined in a ‘free’ society.
Art + Deco,
Re: “That is why I don’t think this will ever return to normal in many blue states or areas.”
“You need to get a grip. Epidemics come and go.”
True. Its also true that Oregon’s top health official is calling for the mandatory wearing of masks until he and his department say otherwise. Plus, China just announced that they’re creating 100 more Wuhan level biological labs… now that they see how effctive the fear of bio-weapons are…
Only the willfully blind imagine the Chicom’s motivation is beneficent.
Finally, are you aware of Fauci’s and Bill Gates involvement in the Covid-19 PLANdemic prior to Jan. 2020?
In my Michigan Gov. Whitmer has extended the age required to wear masks down to age 2.
Whitmer’s previous measures included attempting to prevent people from traveling to their own vacation cottages and preventing people from shopping at garden stores. Now she’s insisting youngsters who can hardly transmit the disease walk around with masks not established to protect anyone. Note, she’s been in elective office since she was 29 years old and never practiced law. Running fundraising and publicity campaigns (with a compliant press) is the business she knows. She likely doesn’t talk to anyone outside a certain bubble nor can she critically evaluate squat.
Tale of two cities. Ann Arbor is a limousine Leftist haven. People wear masks driving in cars by themselves. Only a handful of restaurants and bars have survived. Most days it’s a ghost town. Down the road is a very Conservative community. About half wear masks outside. All of the businesses are open and vibrant. You can’t find a parking spot most days starting with the lunch rush. The park in the town square is filled with people living life.
I have an office in both places. Guess where I spend all of my time?
Mac said
“You can kind of hear in their voices that they somehow get off on it. Maybe just an enhanced sense of being in on something big.”.
Well yes, it’s the only victim card a suburban white female can play.
Its also true that Oregon’s top health official is calling for the mandatory wearing of masks until he and his department say otherwise.
And what he ‘calls for’ will decay into white noise ‘ere long. These people have exposed themselves as tools. At the same time, the politicians they buttress have gone out of their way to antagonize law enforcement and shown that laws are only enforced selectively by the courts they control.
Geoffrey,
That is my point this will pass but many of the measures taken will not pass or if they are relaxed will always hanging over people’s heads.
Question: would you feel confident in opening a new restaurant, bar, or gym any time in the near future with the knowledge that some health bureaucrat can destroy you on a whim when a bad flu season comes along?
“Does anyone care what Joe Biden has to say about masks?”
C’mon, man. Even the people who pay attention know it is meaningless political rhetoric, poll-tested, washed through a focus group or two, and then mumbled through a mask. If it’s unpopular, no matter, it’ll be buried by the media.
He’s already been overruled by his own CDC. NOBODY cares what he says.
I am fully vaccinated. Previous to this guidance I would wear a mask at the playground with my small child because of the fear of what the Karens might do. (this is the Seattle area and the Karens are fierce). I didn’t believe I needed to wear one. I just didn’t want a scene in front of my kid.
Art+Deco,
“She likely doesn’t talk to anyone outside a certain bubble nor can she critically evaluate squat.”
That’s a virtual certainty. Which does not absolve her of her responsibility to direct her staff to consult with medical professionals conversant with viral pandemics who objectively consut the data on risk to and transmission rates among 2-4 yr olds. As well as the effect mask wearing will have on physical development in 2-4 year olds. Who then summarize their conclusions in advising her.
Of course, since the PLANdemic is about conditioning of the public to gain further political control, reducing the financial well being of the middle class through the devastation of small businesses and the corresponding wealth transfer to big business… Whitmer may well be fully aware of the unnecessary harm she will do to very young children.
After all, as with Gov. Cuomo, she issued orders that resulted in the mass murder of hundreds to thousands of elderly nursing home patients. By definition, sociopathic monsters have no conscience.
Why did Julia wear the red sash in 1984?
“These people have exposed themselves as tools. At the same time, the politicians they buttress have gone out of their way to antagonize law enforcement and shown that laws are only enforced selectively by the courts they control.” Art+Deco
Somehow I missed the massive public outrage and street demonstrations against the Governors and mayors in Oregon, Michigan, Washington, New Jersey and New York. Missed the protests in those State’s Capitals…
Geoffrey,
Yes, yes, yes. There are huge amounts of people in the states behind the COVID Curtain that think these things are just super and believe these governors and health bureaucrats are just wonderful.
Somehow I missed the massive public outrage and street demonstrations against the Governors and mayors in Oregon, Michigan, Washington, New Jersey and New York. Missed the protests in those State’s Capitals…
You’re not going to see that. You’re going to see annoyed non-compliance.
@AppleBetty:
She was ovulating.
@Oldflyer:
“I do not object to wearing a mask in a confined public area; if nothing else as a courtesy to anyone around me who feels insecure.”
This.
No respect for Covid Fearmongers but we have to acknowledge that the very old or frail have legitimate concerns and that much of the general population who face little risk have been driven a more than a bit mad with fear through concerted propaganda efforts. The former deserve respect and consideration and the latter will not be snapped out of it in supermarket aisle confrontations.
Some gentle mockery of people who exercise or otherwise get about in the Great Outdoors masked up is a reasonable place to push back.
Zaphod,
Do you think that should be the new standard every year for the flu? Wear a mask indoors every winter to protect the sensitive? Why is it the non fearful people’s responsibility to look out for the fearful?
If you are at risk or fearful then by all means do what you think you must but there should be ABSOLUTELY ZERO mask mandates in publicly accessed buildings. Personal responsibility requires it.
Insane that that is apparently a controversial position.
Oh, and of course there is no real world evidence that masks work anywhere whether outside or inside.
Everyone I know is only wearing a mask when, and for only as long as, they are required to do so, e.g.; entering a retail establishment that requires it. Spent a couple of hours on the beach in Wells, ME Saturday afternoon, lots of people, nary a mask wearer in sight. Governor Mills today announced that masks are no longer required in outdoor settings. Leading from behind.
Before the last year I never thought of myself as some big libertarian but as our freedoms have become more and more infringed upon I lean more that way.
It is pretty amazing though to see so many conservatives abandon the principle of personal responsibility for one’s own self. I guess ‘safetyism’ has reached the right also.
“You’re going to see annoyed non-compliance.” Art+Deco
Yes that’s likely. That said, the great majority of those who vote democrat will comply and that sends a clear message to the young. Citizenship = compliance. Regardless of how unscientific and/or nonsensical the ‘directive’. The goal is to deeply condition as many into unquestioning acquiescence as possible.
Read or reread “I Refuse to Stand By While My Students Are Indoctrinated” while reflecting on how few students publicly question the narrative more than once with no mention by Rossi of any parents like Gutmann protesting…
https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/i-refuse-to-stand-by-while-my-students
Griffin, do whatever you want to do. No one here suggested otherwise.
As it turns out we have Karens; and we also have people who, maybe because it makes them feel superior, have to disparage other people who choose to be more cautious.
In case you did not read my earlier post. A 24 year old family member came down with Covid several weeks after her vaccination was completed. Now her heart rate is spiking at 180BPM. This is serious stuff. There is nothing trivial about it. This it is not over. Sensible precautions are—sensible.
Funny thing. I always preflighted my jet, with particular attention to the ejection seat. The percentage of people who actually ejected was virtually infinitesimal. But, I never heard anyone mocking a fellow pilot for taking precautions.
Oldflyer,
I in no way feel superior to you or anyone else and if you feel the need to take precautions then by all means do it but why do I have to take precautions to protect you? Especially when about 14 months ago virtually everyone said these ‘precautions’ were unwise and ineffective.
It reminds me of the peanut allergy craze of a few years ago where some kids with peanut allergies were leading to no other kids being able to bring peanuts to school in their lunches. Taking away other people’s liberties to protect yourself strikes me as very un American or maybe it’s the other way around now sadly.
Per your pilot story did you require the other pilots to do all the pre flight checks on their aircraft to PROTECT YOU also? That story is an example of personal responsibility in my opinion.
Ackler (4:19 pm) said:
“We all assume he will be gone at some point before January 20, 2025, either due to death or the 25th Amendment. It’s just a matter of ‘when’.”
You know, I once believed this, but I’m no longer sure. Those controlling Biden may well be perfectly content to have him function (is that an appropriate word here??) as “sock puppet president” [very good word choice, Ackler], as long as they can rush their agenda along.
Dr. Jill can continue to mother the guy, but with far, far less power or influence than had First Lady Edith Wilson. Kamala Harris can continue to be a pretend vice president, and she can occupy her thoughts worrying about whether the controllers will still consider her useful in 2024 (regardless of whether she’s veep or president by then).
And we serfs all get to continue our accelerating drive over the cliff.
Those controlling Biden may well be perfectly content to have him function (is that an appropriate word here??) as “sock puppet president” [very good word choice, friend Ackler], as long as they can rush their agenda along.
Eventually, his deterioration will not allow that. He’s not sinking slowly.
Last night on the news from our Fox affiliate station in Seattle they ran a two minute segment on improved treatments that are keeping covid-19 patients out of the hospital. The major one they covered was an “antibody” treatment that is showing a remarkable ability to clear the virus from infected patients in a short time. They didn’t name the treatment, but it was apparently the monoclonal antibody treatment from Regeneron and Eli Lilly. At the end they also said that there was also a pill that, if taken early enough, is helping people avoid hospitalization. No name for the pill, no other details. Here’s a story, that could make everyone more confident about facing this virus, and it’s mentioned briefly and with few details. Why did they run a story like that in such an offhand manner? It seems to me that many people don’t want good news, and certainly don’t want there to be an effective treatment.
In Snohomish County people are masked up in all retail places of business, but businesses are doing brisk business. Other than the masks, life is pretty much back to normal. Now that I’m vaccinated I go where ever I want to whenever I want. Before I limited trips to those that were necessary. No one in our neighborhood wears a mask outside. We have a lot of kids and a small neighborhood park. No one is masked up. I see my neighbors out doing yard work unmasked and we chat with one another when the occasion arises – all unmasked. At least here in my little part of the world, the masks in stores are the only sign of the pandemic. I think the Guv – Jay Inslee might be surprised to see such normal life going on when he is threatening to put us back into phase 2.
J.J.,
Inslee sent us in Pierce back to phase 2 but do you think he has the guts to do it in King or will his made up metrics change for the 3,765th time in the last year?
@Griffin:
Indoor Masks not a hill worth dying on. YMMV.
Also, good idea to show some charity and consideration at least toward Old Folks who have legitimate fears.
The IDGAF About What Other People Think strain runs strong in me, too. But best use that as a directed weapon, not a splatter gun, no?
No… It’s not enough to be Right. We are not all Autistic out there in the real world. Winning the Big Fight is about so much more than ‘Being Correct’.
Coronaviruses are seasonal. they peak in mid spring and late fall – And that’s when I’ll get a cold if I get one – which I haven’t had in several years since I upped Vitamin D3/K2 and did time restricted eating to get rid of insulin resistance. This crap of wearing masks is not supported by the previous 40 years of research. I haven’t worn a mask more than a few times in SD, have been around many people who had it, and at 60+ still haven’t had it. Keep your metabolic health up, and stay home when you’re sick.
Zaphod,
Well I have a 91 year old mother so I care about older people but that can’t be the ONLY thing we care about.
‘Indoor masks not a hill worth dying on’
So you’re alright with having to wear masks at indoor arenas, indoor weddings, indoor conferences for how long because there are few signs of them ever being lifted for those types of events.
I’m sure Art Deco is right that non compliance will be common in the Free States but in the blue states I’m not so sure.
I guess my bigger point is maybe masks are just a minor inconvenience if you are a homebody that only occasionally goes to the store or doctor but if you are someone that wants to go full events and live a normal life it is a problem.
@LeeS:
All correct. I’m long-term Keto have bee under my bonnet about Insulin Resistance and Hyperinsulinaemia, D3, K2, etc. etc.
BTW, how much luck have you had converting anyone to any semblance of dietary good sense? Of course roughly Zero. People. Do. Not. Want. To. Know. Same goes for public health policy common sense.
I still maintain that it is good manners plus common sense to put up with a little inconvenience and be masked as you overtake the Old Coot shopping in the Depends Aisle. One day you and I will both be there, too.
There is more to life than ‘Science!’ We live in a world of people with hopes and fears — many of both of these being semi-rational at best.
I’d save what energy you have for changing the world one mask at a time and invest it in orientating yourself for the coming conflagrations. There’s an anti-white pogrom coming down the pike and a little kindness to the people least likely to survive it is in order.
Some young purple-haired freak complains to me about not wearing a mask outdoors and all bets are off. Can you grok the distinction?
Masks are a distraction. It sucks in all the autists who rant about Muh Freedom while it’s being taken away all around them in other ways. Also masks defeat some facial recognition systems. You might find that worth considering.
@Griffin:
I certainly don’t want to be wearing them forever. I hate the @#$%ing things — they fog my specs and I need progressive lenses and am loath to mess with Lasik for Presbyopia since unconvinced that juice is worth the squeeze.
I *do* think that when we’re living through a period of mass hysteria on multiple fronts we need to focus our energies and pick our battles. Right now I think Grey Man Blend In approach is wise — I wouldn’t be posting so forthrightly if I lived in the USA, for example. Go along to get along with the normies and be unnoticed by the fanatics and stock up on the needful stuff. Not that this is not abject submission to slavery.
I agree that public health messaging is incoherent and politicians and bureaucrats are power-mad amoral scum. I more than agree that much of what passes for Science is irredeemably corrupted. All true.
And yet, the Japanese are not dying in droves. A little hygiene and consideration for the group rather than obsession with individual freedom goes a long way. Consider too, that your individual freedom and survival in future years is going to depend on your belonging to a group which is bigger and badder to outsiders and kinder to insiders. At the risk of repeating myself, the hive-minded ethnocentric Japanese are freer than you are today. As an old Toyota commercial once ended: ‘Please Consider.’
Zaphod:
Gait recognition and pattern analysis (behavior) are other tools beyond facial recognition that our omni-present Insect Overlords can (are) using?
But to laugh, the wokesters at universities are convinced that automatic soap dispensers (and hand sanitizer dispensers) are racist! Melanin content and skin tone (what wokesters think the devices use) vs infrared motion sensors (what the devices actually use).
And is double masking still expected?
@Om:
Very true re Gait recognition and pattern analysis. Still… anything which makes it harder for them….
Wonder how long it will take for an NGO to pop up grifting for funds to create an automatic soap dispenser for Black Bodies.
Apparently the term Black Bodies is big in PoMo Academia. Wait until they find out that these are Perfect Radiators — now that’s an achievement to be proud of!
Does anyone care what Joe Biden has to say, period.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1383157832422465536
“was anyone who was fully vaccinated actually wearing masks outside when gathering with other vaccinated people?”
In fearful Silicon Valley I see tons of masked people, outside, alone, and in cars with windows up. I assume many or most are vaxxed by now.
I’m continuing my habit of walking outdoors every day with no mask. No vaccine but only to be a troublemaker. I’m not convinced they’re dangerous.
Maybe thats what they meant by “leading from behind”…
I really couldn’t care less about what Not-My-President Joe Biden has to say about … anything.
Griffin, do you think most in Pierce County will obey? Yes, the restaurants and gyms may be forced to comply. But most people will probably do as they see fit – except the Karens.
King County carries more weight with the pols – so Jay’s gotta be careful not to p**s off the wrong people. There’s big bucks to be had there. We’ll see if he can jigger the “science” to make things go right.
It would be nice if the powers that be would at least give us a hint where the infections are happening. That might give some people a bit of intelligence as to how/when to be more cautious. But, no, it’s everywhere and anywhere. Yet, after over 15 months, 38,976 confirmed cases out of 830,000 population, it does not seem to be infecting a huge number of people. I watch the county heat map. Right now the hot spot is from South Everett to Edmonds, Brier, Lynwood, and Mill Creek area. Unvaxed people might want to be cautious in that area.
J.J. and Griffin:
OT slightly, if J. F. Kerry is forced out as Climate Tsar maybe King Jay can step up to be the chief loon for the nation? Neither will be missed.
J.J.
Yes they are so weaselly about the numbers. They say it’s increasing in 20-49 which makes some sense but it’s not at all clear how sick if at all these people are. The hospitalizations are also dodgy. His made up number is 6 hospitalizations per 100,000 which would mean like 50-60 in the entirety of Pierce County. That’s not many in a county of 900,000 people with many huge hospitals. And are these people hospitalized because of COVID or with COVID which is the big context they never make clear.
It’s the random number that gets me. Why is over 6 per 100,000 the number why not 5 or 7 or 8. The cynic would say they are just making it up as they go.
om,
That would be nice but in this messed up state his replacement would probably be worse.
Griffin:
Think positive; J. F. Kerry could return to his strengths, unofficial “diplomacy” (sarc), and treason. Regarding King Jay’s replacement being worse, could be, Washington must make the sacrifice for the good of the planet! (sarc x sarc)
AppleBetty on April 27, 2021 at 5:51 pm said:
Why did Julia wear the red sash in 1984?
Youth AntiSex League, if I remember correctly.
I have never worn a mask outside and I never will. It’s not my practice to get into anyone’s face and I live in Kentucky where it can get very hot and very humid. Our cases are dropping, I am vaccinated and I am not now and never have been afraid. I am sick to death of masks. They have inflicted permanent damage to some people – I call them mask Karens – and I am tired of the whole panic.
I’m almost over the worst sore throat that I can remember in more than 30 years. It morphed into a headcold 4 days ago. This is the first virus I’ve had since getting COVID-19 last April. And how did it manifest? While wearing my theater mask in the grocery store for 40 minutes. I walked in healthy and walked out in pain. Yes, I blame the mask. Last year I was over COVID-19 in 3 days, normal temperature, no cough, but that very morning I donned an N95 for 20 minutes, tore it off as I was feeling faint and then was off to the races with illness for 2 weeks. I clearly am one of the few that does VERY POORLY breathing my respiratory refuse. In 2014, being a germaphobe of sorts I researched what mask to wear on my international flights to visit my son and came down on the side of “no mask” based on the studies I read. I think we know what has changed since 2014. As of last October,
I concluded that grooming and control were the purpose of the mask mandates and lockdowns of healthy people. Anecdotally, my family has only worn the most flimsy of masks when absolutely neccessary (bank, store etc) and no social distancing in friend/family settings. Haven’t missed a birthday or holiday since last May and we are all fine. My husband and I are the only ones to have gotten it of 15 of us of various ages. While I certainly respect vulnerable people’s need to exercise caution and quarantine, and those who are afraid should act accordingly but I’m so glad we didn’t miss out on whatever could be enjoyed in the last year.
Why did Julia wear the red sash in 1984?
Zaphod: “She was ovulating.”
I hadn’t considered that practical, and rather significant answer.
Fox2!: “Youth AntiSex League, if I remember correctly.”
Excellent memory!
The sash shielded her from suspicion while she slept around: an inter-personal, revolutionary act. She was making progress, until she hooked up with that loser who made everything political.
@AppleBetty:
https://www.medicaldaily.com/women-tend-wear-red-during-ovulation-attract-male-attention-red-sexiest-color-251035
I’ve never been able to successfully Memory Hole this purported factoid for some reason or other.
Art+Deco: Over to you!
The people blogging about it cares.
Touché.
Japan is doing well not because of masks but because their population is not obese like ours is.
I will not continue to wear a mask to make the vulnerable feel safe, and that goes double for those who convince themselves they are vulnerable but who are objectively not. Those who are concerned about covid have many many many tools to address their fear of mortality, covid-inflicted or not: vaccines, weight management, self-imposed distancing and isolation, curbside pickup, home delivery. If they choose to not avail themselves of these tools, that’s on them. If they live in irrational fear, that’s on them. I refuse to indulge someone else’s false reality. It’s living a lie and I will not do it. It’s not loving and it’s not kind to pretend to someone else that their delusions are true.
I appeared before the Omaha City Council opposing the extension of the mask mandate. One person put up a slide showing Biden and stated that it was “our patriotic duty to wear a mask.” The audience broke out in laughter. The president of the council (a Dem) told us that “another outburst” would result in the chamber being cleared.
When Biden wears a mask, even though he’s vaccinated, even when he is doing a virtual event, just think of it as a soft drool cup his handlers use to keep him more visually presentable.
Cornhead: The audience broke out in laughter. The president of the council (a Dem) told us that “another outburst” would result in the chamber being cleared.
OMG! Don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Our old friend, common sense, has has passed away.
om/Griffin: Inslee as climate czar? Yeah, I can see it. He’s basically devout enough. Would Denny Heck move up? A special, election? The state Dems would make sure a replacement would be a True Believer and on the dim bulb side. They like things the way they are. Fools!
Cornhead:
The emperor has no clothes in Omaha.
“What do we do to see to it that the high-class stupid people cannot injure the rest of us?” (1) Don’t take their word for anything, (2) don’t emulate them, (3) expose their stupidity to others, and (4) don’t give them any authority if you can help it.
I’m not one to get into public brawls with frightened people even if I think their fears are ignorant, but there’s a limit to how elaborate a ritual I’ll engage in to assuage their feelings. Also, there’s something to be said for sending a consistent message to incipient bullies (in government and otherwise) that there will be consistent pushback. I don’t wear my mask anywhere any more unless someone comes up to me and makes a point of it. I think the number of people willing to go to that trouble is constantly shrinking, but that’s only because they’re slowly learning that it’s futile. Some of them never would have stopped otherwise.
I categorically refused the hand-sanitizer ritual from the beginning. I don’t fight about it, I just say pleasantly but firmly “No, thank you.” In 15 months, I’ve had to make it an explicit refusal only three times, and in all three cases, the person let it go. Most seemed to think they were offering a service, not issuing an order. Saying “No, thank you” strengthens that understanding and promotes healthy ideas about who gets to make decisions about one’s own body. Frightened people too easily drift into assumptions that they’re entitled to control the entire world in order to grapple with their uncontrolled fear.
Cornhead: I love that story. Raspberries from the crowd, a very healthy response.
Cornhead
One person put up a slide showing Biden and stated that it was “our patriotic duty to wear a mask.” The audience broke out in laughter. The president of the council (a Dem) told us that “another outburst” would result in the chamber being cleared.
Many have made the observation that Democrats DO NOT LIKE being laughed at. The Good People should not be mocked! Guess that observation is valid, at least in Omaha city council chambers.