Off Topic Thread 4.0

Stheno

Zzippy wrote: »

What's he done now?

Eh well last night the cdc recommended people wear masks and he said he wouldn't as basically it wouldn't look good in the Oval office

Then he'd a screaming match with a few reporters about the federal stockpile and how it will be used, followed by a tantrum when he was asked where Fauci was

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSlWI3gUQlo

awec

Clegg wrote: »

Yeah I don't follow it closely because it is bad for my mental health if I go through it page by page. Especially with the muck being posted. It's Journal comments section tier.

Honestly just ignore it. There are a few posters in that forum doing their best to try and make everyone as miserable as they are.

I check every few days and the same posters are posting the same rubbish.

sydthebeat

awec wrote: »

Honestly just ignore it. There are a few posters in that forum doing their best to try and make everyone as miserable as they are.

I check every few days and the same posters are posting the same rubbish.

At least one particular tit got a weeks ban from it... Hopefully some more of the same to the other panic pornmunchers

Clegg

molloyjh wrote: »

Its also worth remembering that 85% of tests are coming back as negative too. Is the actual number of cases higher? Yes. But that's always, always going to be the way of it. It's just a reality that we cant test everyone in a short space of time. We're doing as good a job as can be expected and the real positive for me is just how seriously we as a society have taken the restrictions and been, by and large, really good at implementing them.

Seeing business reacting well to the situation has been very positive too. We're getting a roast pork dinner delivered tomorrow by a local chef that sounds unbelievably good! Hes a caterer by trade but obviously the need for a caterer is all but gone so hes adapting and doing a delivery service instead. And people are buying into that stuff and being really supportive and appreciative of the efforts of people like that.

The virus itself is a little scary, especially if you or someone you know is in the high risk category. But amid all that theres been so many positives too, in terms of people and how we've dealt with it all and in terms of the leadership we've seen throughout. This will pass. But the lessons and positives we take from it could make a really positive difference going forward.

This is a good post. Thanks Molloyjh.

I'm generally feeling better WRT my mental health. But I get down sometimes. These posts are a welcome pick me up.

I still worry when my family go out to get shopping, like they are right now for instance. But I remember that there's a high degree of compliance with the social distancing rules and everyone's being as safe as they can make themselves.

Clegg

awec wrote: »

Honestly just ignore it. There are a few posters in that forum doing their best to try and make everyone as miserable as they are.

I check every few days and the same posters are posting the same rubbish.

This is also good advice. I tried to stop entirely, but I find myself drifting back every so often. Not as much as a few weeks ago though. You're right as well. Same posters posting the same things and making ppl miserable.

Will give it another go to cut off completely.

Zzippy

Zzippy wrote: »

What's he done now?

I spent some time looking at local news last night in the US as opposed to the national media we are accustomed to here.

Frustration among state politicians and governors has turned to seething anger at the administration. Putting Kushner in charge of medical distribution is a bad bad joke and no one is laughing. As things stand the federal stockpile is being distributed politically and not on a need basis. States are on their own and there is going to be consequences after all this is over.

A white house staffer has been put in charge of oversight of bailout funds which means that they don't want oversight and that money will be lost to corruption and they've fired their intelligence oversight person in what is being described as a government coup.

This is all at the very outset when their aren't overwhelmed with the sick and dying. Gun sales are through the roof and the country is singularly divided.

I see few positive outcomes and many legitimately terrible ones.

Panda Killa

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I spent some time looking at local news last night in the US as opposed to the national media we are accustomed to here.

Frustration among state politicians and governors has turned to seething anger at the administration. Putting Kushner in charge of medical distribution is a bad bad joke and no one is laughing. As things stand the federal stockpile is being distributed politically and not on a need basis. States are on their own and there is going to be consequences after all this is over.

A white house staffer has been put in charge of oversight of bailout funds which means that they don't want oversight and that money will be lost to corruption and they've fired their intelligence oversight position.

This is all at the very outset when their aren't overwhelmed with the sick and dieing. Gun sales are through the roof and the country is singularly divided.

I see few positive outcomes and many legitimately terrible ones.

His popularity amongst the people..esp southern states is at an all-time high...even questioning anything he does gets you called a commie liberal

At this point I'm honestly thinking it would be immoral for me ever to travel to the states again as I don't want to support what is going on over there

Stheno

[Deleted User] wrote: »

At this point I'm honestly thinking it would be immoral for me ever to travel to the states again as I don't want to support what is going on over there

I've worked with Americans in the past who have scripture quotes in their email signs

Usually of the "repent or you will die a miserable death" variety

It had an incredible affect on my view of them

thomond2006

Stheno wrote: »

I've worked with Americans in the past who have scripture quotes in their email signs

Usually of the "repent or you will die a miserable death" variety

It had an incredible affect on my view of them

They're the most non-secular secular state out there.

Panda Killa

Panda Killa wrote: »

His popularity amongst the people..esp southern states is at an all-time high...even questioning anything he does gets you called a commie liberal

I don't know if as a country they will be able to pull together through this and if they don't the very concept of a 'United' States could legitimately come under threat.

Regardless their international reputation is in absolute tatters and much of the population are hopelessly bent on supporting destructive and nonsensical politics. I don't see any fix from here and if anything, the aftermath of this is going to make things much much worse.

It's telling that the two developed countries with the worst track record managing this virus have both recently been taken over by right wing populists. And I don't think the idiot voting bases will ever ask hard questions of their own decision making - you can already see the same distortion of information that happened prior to Brexit and the recent UK general election on social media.

People who are very good at manipulating the electorate are, in an astonishing twist, terrible at actually running a country.

Yeah_Right

sydthebeat wrote: »

panic pornmunchers

I love it. So accurately describes some my wife's family. I've can't count how many times I've thought about leaving the family WhatsApp group due to some of the ****e they forward.

Panda Killa

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I love it. So accurately describes some my wife's family. I've can't count how many times I've thought about leaving the family WhatsApp group due to some of the ****e they forward.

It's the Coronavirus /5g link that is driving me loopy at the moment...5g caused Coronavirus ..and they can offer proof!!... *Delete & block*

Neil3030

All jokes aside this raises an important question for me.

What is the cognitive/neural/evolutionary mechanism that prohibits us from:

"Well look at that, this person is just plain wrong. Anyway, on I go with my day. <whistles cheerfully>"

Neil3030

Neil3030 wrote: »

All jokes aside this raises an important question for me.

What is the cognitive/neural/evolutionary mechanism that prohibits us from:

"Well look at that, this person is just plain wrong. Anyway, on I go with my day. <whistles cheerfully>"

I think part of the problem is that people who have interesting and informed things to say don't bother to say them on social media as it's a negative and willful audience for the most part so why bother. There are plenty of people I know who I would consider intelligent, informed and excellent communicators but do I ever see them debating on facebook? No.

Neil3030

Deleted User wrote: »

I think part of the problem is that people who have interesting and informed things to say don't bother to say them on social media as it's a negative and willful audience for the most part so why bother. There are plenty of people I know who I would consider intelligent, informed and excellent communicators but do I ever see them debating on facebook? No.

So why so much frustration when these views conflict with either our opinions or outright fact? We know these are not the people we should be listening to anyway, yet still we're compelled to engage...

Stheno

Panda Killa wrote: »

It's the Coronavirus /5g link that is driving me loopy at the moment...5g caused Coronavirus ..and they can offer proof!!... *Delete & block*

Is that really a thing?

My social media footprint is small enough si I usually avoid such craziness

Neil3030

Neil3030 wrote: »

So why so much frustration when these views conflict with either our opinions or outright fact? We know these are not the people we should be listening to anyway, yet still we're compelled to engage...

It's a combination of a lot of things. The most obvious factor is that when something is wrong or we perceive it as incorrect we naturally try and correct it and hence reply to a post.

In the current climate given how weaponized misinformation has become, and the damage it can do (Trump / Brexit) there is also an almost civic sense motivating the replies in the hope that the rot can be slowed or stopped.

There is an information war being waged and decency and common sense are losing badly.

swiwi_

Sunny clear skies, not too far from 20 degrees, jazz playing, leffe beer, OH cooking roasted asparagus with walnuts and haloumi which will be combined with a white wine (dôle Blanche) from one of the village winemakers, lawn mowed, winter tires replaced with summer tires, gonna watch “safety last” with the kids (speaking of silent movies nothing beats Metropolis, it’s an awesome film), can’t let the virus get us down!

sydthebeat

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I love it. So accurately describes some my wife's family. I've can't count how many times I've thought about leaving the family WhatsApp group due to some of the ****e they forward.

The mute button on WhatsApp is the best invention ever. I've the in laws family group on mute... Every so often I'll open it, 100+ posts.... Straight scroll to the end....

I've a brother in law in the middle east who comes out with the most stupid conspiracy stuff... And another who smokes more green than snoop who's just as bad.
Of course, everything they say it's "fact" and we're all blind

Stheno

sydthebeat wrote: »

The mute button on WhatsApp is the best invention ever. I've the in laws family group on mute... Every so often I'll open it, 100+ posts.... Straight scroll to the end....

I've a brother in law in the middle east who comes out with the most stupid conspiracy stuff... And another who smokes more green than snoop who's just as bad.
Of course, everything they say it's "fact" and we're all blind

Can you mute individuals in a group?

sydthebeat

Stheno wrote: »

Can you mute individuals in a group?

Never done it, but according to whatsapp

Mute notifications
Select an individual or group chat.
Press Options > Mute.
Select the length of time you'd like to mute notifications for.
Press OK.
Alternatively, open the individual or group chat. Press Options > View contact or Group info > Mute notifications. Select the length of time you'd like to mute notifications, then press OK.

Bazzo

Stheno wrote: »

Is that really a thing?

My social media footprint is small enough si I usually avoid such craziness

Some morons have actually been setting fire to phone masts here. These are the sort of ****ing cretins you're dealing with...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/04/uk-phone-masts-attacked-amid-5g-coronavirus-conspiracy-theory

Panda Killa

Stheno wrote: »

Is that really a thing?

My social media footprint is small enough si I usually avoid such craziness

Not an isolated post...esp in the last 10 days

sydthebeat

sydthebeat wrote: »

Never done it, but according to whatsapp

Mute notifications
Select an individual or group chat.
Press Options > Mute.
Select the length of time you'd like to mute notifications for.
Press OK.
Alternatively, open the individual or group chat. Press Options > View contact or Group info > Mute notifications. Select the length of time you'd like to mute notifications, then press OK.

I have every group set to mute like that. You can always catch up when you open the app. No need for all the notifications.

Stheno

Stheno wrote: »

Is that really a thing?

My social media footprint is small enough si I usually avoid such craziness

Google Jim Corr if you want a laugh. He's fully lost it.

Stheno

Stheno wrote: »

Is that really a thing?

My social media footprint is small enough si I usually avoid such craziness

Google Jim Corr if you want a laugh. He's fully lost it.

Stheno

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Google Jim Corr if you want a laugh. He's fully lost it.

I've seen some of his tweets alright on the covid thread, comes across mad as a box of frogs

For any of you who find the covid thread bad for your mental health, please dont go into it. On top of the usual "my girlfriends aunts brother in law heard from aliens that this is punishment for climate change" bolloxology, the posters* in there appear to have lost basic skills such as reading comprehension, maths and the ability to google, leading to vast swathes of hysteria, scaremongering and misinformation, which when corrected leads to even more of the same

*not all, but a sizeable minority

Stheno

Stheno wrote: »

I've seen some of his tweets alright on the covid thread, comes across mad as a box of frogs

For any of you who find the covid thread bad for your mental health, please dont go into it. On top of the usual "my girlfriends aunts brother in law heard from aliens that this is punishment for climate change" bolloxology, the posters* in there appear to have lost basic skills such as reading comprehension, maths and the ability to google, leading to vast swathes of hysteria, scaremongering and misinformation, which when corrected leads to even more of the same

*not all, but a sizeable minority

It's an interesting thread. If you removed the 10% of posters who are either trolling or have an agenda it would be quite informative.