Corona Virus and The Simpsons

[Cuchculan]

Even though there were cases in the UK football matches were still going ahead with thousands at the games. Ireland had already gone into lockdown. Took Boris a while to catch up. Then he was in hospital with Covid. We all knew China was lying about the extent of things. But Italy had gotten hit very bad very quickly too. Our earliest cases came from Italy. So Italy was there to see. Seriously think some just didn't want to believe. That it would hit them as bad. Thus the slow reactions. You still have some who don't believe what is happening is what they are been told it is.

Amusing one here. One lot from the government going on about how great the vaccine is doing in Ireland. About an hour later same government, different members, warn the vaccine might not be working because of the new strain. Does this government not plan ahead? As to who says what to the media and when they say it. It is shown them for the clowns they are. How much contact they have with each other. This has been going on a while now. Might hear three different things in the same day from the one government. That is what happens in a rainbow government. Made up of 3 parties.

[Otherside]

I think there was an element of that here. Boris said something along the lines of, "take it on the chin, let it move through the population, British stiff upper lip and all". Think they expected a few deaths, for it to be ultimatley be manageable. Don't know why they thought that, why we'd be special and different to the rest of Europe.

China having problems to people here was "well that's far away and just China." Lot of people knew of it, but didnt pay much attention. Italy was an hour away and another European country. People started paying attention to it then.

[Cuchculan]

I know you and us had the street parties. Over here it began as bingo. But turned into music and drink. Zero social distancing. Police had to break up many of them. And people wondered how it was spreading. Pubs allowed sell take away pints. You would have hundreds outside the pubs. They can still do that one and the police can't stop them. No law against it. Then the people who wanted to protest against the lockdowns. Then the BLM marches. No end to silly things. There is a time for such things. Middle of a pandemic is not the time.

[Otherside]

Yep, similar here. Street parties for VE Day, media encouraged that one. Was supposed to just be everyone sat on the driveway drinking tea or something. But then a couple of videos of people doing the congo or oops upside your head circulated (am I the only one who thinks that doing the congo is a strange way honour those who died in war?). Couple of protest marches in London for various things. Then had huge numbers of people cramming onto the trains to go to beach towns to the horror of the locals. Was living in a Welsh touristy beach town during lockdown 1. Got a few odd looks not sounding Welsh. Had to explain a few times that I was a resident.

[Ironman]

That's the sick part - if we are outside with spacing, there is no problem! Open air stirs everything up.
I refuse to run with a mask. That's why I run alone....at night. I am so glad the curfew is over.....for now. I run at 12:30am and the police doesn't even think twice.
My Governor has done his best even thought I didn't like it. Keeping everything open until 10pm (11pm for grocery) is a stretch, but in a way, it gives me more time to do things I need to do at home.

We just had a NASTY cold snap that put snow down in 73% of our country - Houston, Texas getting down to 15F/-11c for numerous mornings caused a mess. For me, I got 75% of my annual snowfall in less than two weeks. Now, it's going to hit 65F/18c this weekend - I am tempted to lay out in the sun today and it's only 54F/11c at the moment (I have a thermometer on my deck and the sun heat it to 65F/18c!

The sun is going to start having its way with the virus again! UV! UV! UV!

[Cuchculan]

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dubli...oqyE_yLAj2MxkY

This was Dublin today. Anti lockdown march. Clashes with police.


These people who even decided to applaud at a certain time for the nurses. I am sure the nurses didn't give a crap about people clapping. There were nurses dying. Doctors dying. Sure why don't we applaud them all. That will make them feel better. I seriously thought it won't mean a bloody thing. Then that was followed with a light in the window at a certain time. People think they have to do something. The things they come up with, to me, are just bit stupid. I would call them working class things. I doubt people in more posh areas were out clapping at a certain time on a Saturday evening. People will have their own opinions on such things. I just thought it was stupid. As front line workers were dying at the time. A candle in the window I might understand a bit more. As it is an Irish thing for some. Catholic thing. Be curious to hear if any of that happened in America. I somehow doubt it. Just not my sort of thing.

[CloudMaker]

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dubli...oqyE_yLAj2MxkY

This was Dublin today. Anti lockdown march. Clashes with police.


These people who even decided to applaud at a certain time for the nurses. I am sure the nurses didn't give a crap about people clapping. There were nurses dying. Doctors dying. Sure why don't we applaud them all. That will make them feel better. I seriously thought it won't mean a bloody thing. Then that was followed with a light in the window at a certain time. People think they have to do something. The things they come up with, to me, are just bit stupid. I would call them working class things. I doubt people in more posh areas were out clapping at a certain time on a Saturday evening. People will have their own opinions on such things. I just thought it was stupid. As front line workers were dying at the time. A candle in the window I might understand a bit more. As it is an Irish thing for some. Catholic thing. Be curious to hear if any of that happened in America. I somehow doubt it. Just not my sort of thing.

I think in the beginning people in big cities clapped pots and pans together at night to show appreciation for front line workers. IDK.

Now it seems like no one cares. So many people are out of work with little to no government assistance. Much more pressing things to worry about. Even front line workers have had their hazard pay cut only after 3 or 4 months into the pandemic in a lot of cases. Nothing more than a publicity stunt. SAD

[Otherside]

They did the clapping thing here. But they're also planning to do a pay freeze. Again. And everyone wonders why we have a shortage of medical staff - quite a few immigrate to a country that will actually pay them a decent amount. If I was a nurse I'd be considering immigrating to Australia or wherever.

Heard about Texas from here - seemed nuts, but I guess thats what happens if you live in a state that is usually hot and doesn't expect a sudden snow storm. You don't know how to deal with the cold.

[Cuchculan]

Here in Ireland the student nurses who were doing the exact same work as the regular nurses were getting half the same amount of pay. You would have imagined, if the government thought they were doing such a great job, they would have paid them the same. Though the same is still not enough. Loads of Irish nurses leave Ireland. Most nurses in our hospital are foreign. The work they do is amazing. They should get some recognition when this is all over. Just for the work they done alone. Even a statue. They can add the names of the front line workers who died on it. Be a bit better than a round of applauds. Something that actually something. Only thing we heard of so far is a free concert for nurses only. Again, not enough. I would fully expect to see a statue of a nurse. Even blended in with something for everybody who died during the pandemic.

[Ironman]

I think in the beginning people in big cities clapped pots and pans together at night to show appreciation for front line workers. IDK.

Now it seems like no one cares. So many people are out of work with little to no government assistance. Much more pressing things to worry about. Even front line workers have had their hazard pay cut only after 3 or 4 months into the pandemic in a lot of cases. Nothing more than a publicity stunt. SAD

They did the clapping thing here. But they're also planning to do a pay freeze. Again. And everyone wonders why we have a shortage of medical staff - quite a few immigrate to a country that will actually pay them a decent amount. If I was a nurse I'd be considering immigrating to Australia or wherever.

Heard about Texas from here - seemed nuts, but I guess thats what happens if you live in a state that is usually hot and doesn't expect a sudden snow storm. You don't know how to deal with the cold.

In Italy and New York, people were SINGING and cheering, too.

Time Magazine put JOEjanHorse and KamaKamaleon as their "People of the Year 2020" - NOT the frontline worker. I can't believe that. Yes, the United States is THAT screwed up!

[Cuchculan]

We had a few more fights go on between the police and members of the public having house parties. Few police ended up in hospital. Our police are not tough enough. Simple as that. One was knocked out by a teen. Surely if you want to become a policeman / woman you should be able to get the better of a teen? On social media the picture of the person who kick started the riot off on Saturday has been all over the place. No doubt he will arrested. Probably get a typical Irish sentence. Which is a slap on the back of the hand and don't do it again. They need to get tougher. If that was the US things would have been different. People like to have a go at the police in the US. Heavy handed and all of that. That is what we need over here. Take no crap from anybody. Handcuff first and ask questions later. Courts are far too soft on people too. Does not make you change your ways. You can have 100 convictions and never have seved a day in jail in your life. The sun is back out here. That means people flocking to the beach. The police will show up. But that won't bother anybody. Just to reach the beach you are breaking the 5km rule.

[Otherside]

Watching the numbers come now we're 2 months into a vaccination program. Deaths and hospitalizations have taken a nosedive, faster than they would have expected. Pretty much every now over the age the age of 65 has been offered vaccine now. That's a relief to see. We're getting somewhere. Lifting things a little next week - kids are back in schools next week, and you can meet one other person outside. So not really much change. April is when they're looking at opening up things more - and by then, good chance everyone who's a prioirty will have been offered.

News today finally came out with the article "People are missing being in the office." Really didn't need to be told that. The novelty of being able to sit at home and bake banana bread whilst working is beginning to wear off for us all. People do just want to go back to normal, quelle surprise.

[CloudMaker]

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[Cuchculan]

Only one way to find out just how good the vaccine really is. That will be when the lockdown is lifted. As things stand most places are still in lockdown. So hard to gauge real results. My mother is down to get it next Wednesday. She is in her 80's. That is how bloody slow they are over here.

News has got out of more protests planned. Or riots as it was put. Police said you could not call what happened on Saturday a protest. It was a riot. Planned. Started with the firing of a firework at a policeman. Bloke who done that is in his 30's. Can't blame it on some young teen. Anti mask and anti vaccine groups. These idiots actually have gone around ripping masks off of people's faces. They don't wish to wear, so be it. But they have no right to do things they have done. Boarding a tram service we have in large numbers and verbally abusing passengers who are wearing masks.

Numbers are still high enough here. Deaths have gone down though. Won't be till next year that we see any real change. Let's be honest about it.

[Otherside]

Won't really know until we open up, no. Which they're being wary about.

Yeah, your protests ended up on our evening news. Seems to be whats happening in Europe. Netherlands had similar a month back, Italy before that - No end to this in sight, and people losing there jobs. Can see why people are fed up and angry with this. We'll see more of this I'm sure. Probably would be similar here to be honest if a date hadn't been given for reopening. If that date gets pushed back though? We'll see it here, be willing to put money on that.

But your anti-maskers are something else. Ours don't really ever bother anyone else. Just make a few speeches outside of parliment. We leave them alone, they leave us alone.