Is Coronavirus as serious as they say?

[Light Housework]

“This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.”

An impossible standard sometimes, but a good rule of thumb where possible.

 

[Hovis Lesley]

An impossible standard sometimes, but a good rule of thumb where possible.

Yes. If Peter Hitchens is forced to capitulate, then some yielding and compromise from us seems inevitable.

 

[rifke]

It’s good to be controlled. That means, it leaves us with less thinking that we would normally have to do on our own. How can that be seen at as a bad thing?

i was watching this interview with north korean defector yeonmi park (and what an amazing, articulate person! everyone should know who she is!). she said that in her first few days of freedom if she could have gone back to north korea with the guarantee that she wouldnt be punished for escaping and that she would have enough to eat, even as horrible as north korea was, she would have gone back--because, she said, "freedom is very hard: it involves choices, and you have to be responsible for the choices you make for the rest of your life". i think we're seeing now how true that is for a lot of people. freedom is just too hard for them.

 

[Radis Noir]

It is for sure a rare kind of idiot who believes he’s experiencing the free world in the moment of effective martial law.

Oh yes, martial law! When I go for my run later I'll be sure to avoid the military patrols in my area. And later, when I go to the post office to renew my driving licence I'll make sure I have all my papers and some bribe money so I can get through the checkpoints that have been set up all around the town centre. And I'll be sure to keep an eye for any hegemony that might be lurking in the shadows. Crikey, is that a tank driving up my street???

 

[Hovis Lesley]

Oh yes, martial law! When I go for my run later I'll be sure to avoid the military patrols in my area. And later, when I go to the post office to renew my driving licence I'll make sure I have all my papers and some bribe money so I can get through the checkpoints that have been set up all around the town centre. And I'll be sure to keep an eye for any hegemony that might be lurking in the shadows. Crikey, is that a tank driving up my street???

Martial law involves...

“suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to a temporary emergency.”

Where that suspension is supported by the military—albeit tacitly as it is in the UK—you (quite explicitly) have martial law. I’m not alone in maintaining this position.

Obviously, most states that exercise martial law are loathed to concede that’s what’s occurring: how then to criticise other nations who don’t share your ideals? And such an open concession would compromise what’s needed most by most governments: blind support from the subjective perspectives the state itself nurtures (ie a civic-minded sense of self similar to yours).

Given I maintain a flicker of hope for your generic Western mind, it might be worth highlighting that some parts of the UK had the martial law, of the highly visible variety you refer to, as recently as the 1990s. The notion and the principle is scarcely ‘out there’.

And some of the administration responsible continue to constitute the British government today. They wouldn’t hesitate to deploy troops to enforce the lockdown should it be required. Make no mistake. In your current condition, you would doubtless support this and (under the auspices of the BBC) continue to deny its martial status.


But Hovis? He’s in La La Land right? It could never happen.

‘You are sleeping. You do not want to believe. You are sleeping. You do not want to believe’.

 

[plopstar]

Oh yes, martial law! When I go for my run later I'll be sure to avoid the military patrols in my area. And later, when I go to the post office to renew my driving licence I'll make sure I have all my papers and some bribe money so I can get through the checkpoints that have been set up all around the town centre. And I'll be sure to keep an eye for any hegemony that might be lurking in the shadows. Crikey, is that a tank driving up my street???

 

[Radis Noir]

Martial law involves...

“suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to a temporary emergency.”

Where that suspension is supported by the military—albeit tacitly as it is in the UK. You have martial law. I’m not alone in maintaining this position.

Obviously, most states that exercise martial law are loathed to concede that’s what’s occurring: how then to criticise other nations who don’t share your ideals? And such concessions compromise what’s needed most: blind support from the subjective perspectives the state itself nurtures (ie a sense of self similar to yours).

Given I maintain a flicker of hope for your generic Western mind, it might be worth highlighting that some parts of the UK had the martial law, of the highly visible variety you refer to, as recently as the 1990s. And some of the administration responsible continue to constitute the British government today. They wouldn’t hesitate to deploy troops to enforce the lockdown should it be required. Make no mistake. In your current condition, you would doubtless support this and (under the auspices of the BBC) continue to deny its martial status.


But Hovis? He’s in La La Land right? It could never happen.

‘You are sleeping. You do not want to believe. You are sleeping. You do not want to believe’.

Oh get away with you and your daft slippery slope arguments. And don't tell me what I would and wouldn't support because you are talking out of your arse - I never watch the BBC for one. The chances of the military getting involved is slim to non-existent. If they were going to be keeping us oppressed during the pandemic it would have happened already. At no point have I ever said 'it could never happen.' What I'm saying is that it hasn't happened yet and I see no prospect of it happening nor any reason why it would. I assume you are referring to Northern Ireland when you say 'as recently as the 1990s?' Again, it's a daft argument bearing in mind the particular and special nature of Northern Ireland and its history.
Look, I've no idea why you need to feel oppressed, whether you are just a conspiracy theorist or suffering from paranoia. But I'm getting the impression that you have (metaphorically or not) barricaded yourself in your house whilst claiming that you have been imprisoned, presumably because you think it makes some kind of point.
And I've got a Morrissey lyric for you, slightly altered:
"Freedom is wasted on you..."

 

[Hovis Lesley]

Oh get away with you and your daft slippery slope arguments. And don't tell me what I would and wouldn't support because you are talking out of your arse - I never watch the BBC for one. The chances of the military getting involved is slim to non-existent. If they were going to be keeping us oppressed during the pandemic it would have happened already. At no point have I ever said 'it could never happen.' What I'm saying is that it hasn't happened yet and I see no prospect of it happening nor any reason why it would. I assume you are referring to Northern Ireland when you say 'as recently as the 1990s?' Again, it's a daft argument bearing in mind the particular and special nature of Northern Ireland and its history.
Look, I've no idea why you need to feel oppressed, whether you are just a conspiracy theorist or suffering from paranoia. But I'm getting the impression that you have (metaphorically or not) barricaded yourself in your house whilst claiming that you have been imprisoned, presumably because you think it makes some kind of point.
And I've got a Morrissey lyric for you, slightly altered:
"Freedom is wasted on you..."

It’s true that if you rationalise away the concrete examples which contradict you (as ‘special’ or ‘particular’), your arguments might seem more compelling.

As a runner myself, might I ask what distances you run? Short, middle, long? Each brings a different world view, I feel.

 

[Hovis Lesley]

More special and particular things are strangely unfolding. But nothing to get excited about.

Tomahawk Steakhouse staff told 'loan firm 10% or they could face sack'

The GMB Union says employees say they were told to sign a loan agreement or face possible dismissal.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Nerak]

Martial law involves...

“suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to a temporary emergency.”

Where that suspension is supported by the military—albeit tacitly as it is in the UK—you (quite explicitly) have martial law. I’m not alone in maintaining this position.

Obviously, most states that exercise martial law are loathed to concede that’s what’s occurring: how then to criticise other nations who don’t share your ideals? And such an open concession would compromise what’s needed most by most governments: blind support from the subjective perspectives the state itself nurtures (ie a civic-minded sense of self similar to yours).

Given I maintain a flicker of hope for your generic Western mind, it might be worth highlighting that some parts of the UK had the martial law, of the highly visible variety you refer to, as recently as the 1990s. The notion and the principle is scarcely ‘out there’.

And some of the administration responsible continue to constitute the British government today. They wouldn’t hesitate to deploy troops to enforce the lockdown should it be required. Make no mistake. In your current condition, you would doubtless support this and (under the auspices of the BBC) continue to deny its martial status.


But Hovis? He’s in La La Land right? It could never happen.

‘You are sleeping. You do not want to believe. You are sleeping. You do not want to believe’.

I don't think the system is clamping down on us - I think we've got the opposite problem - that it's realised it can mostly ignore us, let us die alone & penniless & still survive.

Brexit made the Tories twig that working-class votes could be useful & the pandemic made them panic that it is still possible we could collapse & they've tried to shore it up.

But once it's over I expect to go back to epic neglect, acute problems being ignored because they're not 'sexy', bin fire services & no structures/resources.

 

[Hovis Lesley]

I don't think the system is clamping down on us - I think we've got the opposite problem - that it's realised it can mostly ignore us, let us die alone & penniless & still survive.

Brexit made the Tories twig that working-class votes could be useful & the pandemic made them panic that it is still possible we could collapse & they've tried to shore it up.

But once it's over I expect to go back to epic neglect, acute problems being ignored because they're not 'sexy', bin fire services & no structures/resources.

Well, that is a sensible and realistic counterpoint to my perspective. And if you believe people to be rational beings, it would make perfect sense—particularly as we’re living in a society which is deconstructing the basis of its own existence.

But I, personally, don’t think humans are rational beings—from my experience, people who aren’t needed tend to become nails for the empowered to hit, as opposed to overlook.

 

[Vegan. Cro. Spirit. 888]

Martial Law without the military?

 

[Light Housework]

The downtown streets today, were such a mess. Scruffy, drug addicted, panhandling, homeless people everywhere. Downtown isn't so swanky anymore. People aren't going to the office or classroom anymore, so the art supply store I go to, is losing business. I fear it may close. Going there is increasingly adventurous. A young skinhead on the sidewalk stared through the bus window at me for a minute. I stared back, and he stopped after a few moments of mutual staring. Poor kid.

 

[Light Housework]

Near where I live, businesses are closed, closing, getting grafittied, and there was a long lineup at a government agency. Unemployment I guess.

Someone fell, getting off the bus, hard, and took a few minutes to get back up. He looked in bad shape. Man, lots of people in rough shape.

 

[Nerak]

Well, that is a sensible and realistic counterpoint to my perspective. And if you believe people to be rational beings, it would make perfect sense—particularly as we’re living in a society which is deconstructing the basis of its own existence.

But I, personally, don’t think humans are rational beings—from my experience, people who aren’t needed tend to become nails for the empowered to hit, as opposed to overlook.

I guess we'll have to see what happens.

My experience is trying to get people interested in a terrible thing that's happening & getting absolutely no response unless by some miracle it's turned into a media scandal. Then they do something flashy but useless. The media moves on. And it continues being terrible.

 

[Hovis Lesley]

‘To watch or to be, that’s up to you’

Petition: Do not rollout Covid-19 vaccine passports

We want the Government to commit to not rolling out any e-vaccination status/immunity passport to the British public. Such passports could be used to restrict the rights of people who have refused a Covid-19 vaccine, which would be unacceptable.

petition.parliament.uk

 

[Light Housework]

People in the poorest postal code offered money to get vaccinated.

Downtown Eastside residents offered $5 after getting COVID-19 vaccine | Globalnews.ca

Dix called the incentive "practical" and left the door open when asked if similar incentives will be available to other sections of the population.

globalnews.ca

 

[WolfE_]

Covid passports are for EU citizens no? I really am out the loop with most of this stuff; really blocking covid news out of my vision.

 

[Hovis Lesley]

Covid passports are for EU citizens no? I really am out the loop with most of this stuff; really blocking covid news out of my vision.

Many nations are looking at a passport system, for international travel. Some nations (Including the UK) are considering using the passport, or a parallel ID system, to allow citizens to access theatres, pubs etc.

 

[WolfE_]

Many nations are looking at a passport system, for international travel. Some nations (Including the UK) are considering using the passport, or a parallel ID system, to allow citizens to access theatres, pubs etc.

madness