Relax, Everything is Going to be Okay!

[406dn]

I still wear a mask....

Because I'm a recent kidney transplant recipient and flu cases are high this year.

But the looks I get in the very red part of the state I live in, amd the lack of interaction people will provide...

You'd think I kicked someone's dog and raped the neighborhood cat.

So, yes. Stereotypes still exist in people's heads. Propaganda is alive and well.

My wife wears a mask because she works in a rural clinic and she doesn’t want to get me sick.

My daughter wears a mask because she cares about me.

I am glad you pointed out this.

Whenever I see a person wearing a mask presently, I assume they have a significant health risk.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I am a retired oil refinery employee. I had to wear, by company mandate, all sorts of personal protection equipment, PPE. None of it is an absolute barrier. It reduces risk, not to zero, but less than otherwise. Seatbelts save many lives, but not every single time.

So, I took the mask mandates similarly. They reduced the risk, but could not possibly be a perfect barrier. I wore the masks, and did not enjoy all of the nuisance involved.

Whoah there, take that intelligent, reasonableness elsewhere, buddy!

 

[elkduds]

I am a retired oil refinery employee. I had to wear, by company mandate, all sorts of personal protection equipment, PPE. None of it is an absolute barrier. It reduces risk, not to zero, but less than otherwise. Seatbelts save many lives, but not every single time.

So, I took the mask mandates similarly. They reduced the risk, but could not possibly be a perfect barrier. I wore the masks, and did not enjoy all of the nuisance involved.

. . .and you are still here to report on the experience. Congratulations. Masks absolutely reduce spread of communicable diseases, despite their discomfort and inconvenience. A million of our fellow citizens died from COVID, especially the old and infirm, but also healthy health care workers by the thousands. Countless others left the medical field when they realized much of the public was willing to put them at mortal risk on the job by disregarding pandemic precautions. 4 years later there aren't nearly enough doctors and nurses to fill available jobs, because they lost trust that the public cared about their safety and wellbeing. Pun intended here, what goes around comes around.

 

[MTGomer]

Nah, when we are gone, there will be a new group of seniors. They too, will enjoy rage bait. Consider how effective social media is at hooking teenagers to their platforms.

I have a long running internal dialogue about this topic.

There are certain characteristics (good and bad) that are pretty common among that generation.

My question is; are those characteristics of the individuals in that generation, or are those characteristics of humanity at that age. meaning will those characteristics die with the generation or will the next generation step into the same traits?

 

[Bonasababy]

What a funny world.

If you support Trump, you support Nazizm.

If you think ICE is over the top you are Antifa.

You can agree with immigration enforcement but think the current approach and tactics are way out of line.

You can disagree with the current immigration enforcement but still believe in law and order.

Some folks think Froid MT is better off without a certain diesel mechanic, and some think the community loses in the essence of black and white enforcement.

Constitutional rights should or can be circumvented when you don’t politically align with the person.

People enjoy trolling folks who are morally conflicted with the state of our government.

Some cheer when the White House gives the finger to the judiciary.

Checks and balances are routinely overlooked and ignored and are certainly reshaping the future of presidential power in the US.

Maybe this bothers more republicans than I’m aware of. Not everyone voices displeasure and I get that.

What a new Gallup poll shows about the depth of Americans' gloom

A new Gallup poll reveals that Americans' optimism about their future is at a low. Only 59% of U.S. adults rate their future life satisfaction highly, which is the lowest measure since Gallup began asking the question almost 20 years ago.

apnews.com

Civility is dwindling. It’s not that hard to be a good person to people you agree with. It’s much harder if you don’t.

Faith is incredibly important to me. One think I am thankful to DJT for is he is a daily challenge for me to love him like my neighbor. It’s difficult to reconcile I’m commanded to forgive him and love him. It is what it is. It makes me a better person. So, there is that bright spot.

It’s hard to predict what the country will look like in 20 years. Given how many folks are so dumb they don’t realize Puerto Rico is an American territory, it’s hard for me to have much hope at times.

If you look at Trump as someone who's lived his whole life with a diagnosable mental problem...narcissistic personality disorder..I think its possible to render some sympathy. (checkout the book from Trumps own niece, a clinical psychologist, "Too Much and Never Enough")

But I have hope for many of his die hard supporters, based on many of them I have as friends or relatives or acquaintances that I see starting to recognize that their values and morals are far different than what they see from the president.

 

[406dn]

I have a long running internal dialogue about this topic.

There are certain characteristics (good and bad) that are pretty common among that generation.

My question is; are those characteristics of the individuals in that generation, or are those characteristics of humanity at that age. meaning will those characteristics die with the generation or will the next generation step into the same traits?

Certainly every generation has a unique set of circumstances.

But as I used to tell our children, the apple does not fall too far from the tree. So, it will be more similar, than different, with each generation of seniors.

 

[Bonasababy]

. . .and you are still here to report on the experience. Congratulations. Masks absolutely reduce spread of communicable diseases, despite their discomfort and inconvenience. A million of our fellow citizens died from COVID, especially the old and infirm, but also healthy health care workers by the thousands. Countless others left the medical field when they realized much of the public was willing to put them at mortal risk on the job by disregarding pandemic precautions. 4 years later there aren't nearly enough doctors and nurses to fill available jobs, because they lost trust that the public cared about their safety and wellbeing. Pun intended here, what goes around comes around.

Part of our shortage of workers loops right back to the attack on immigrants. We need more of them....and yes, an improved, faster and more efficient process to becoming a citizen...because theres nothing current citizens can do to overcome the age demographic problem.

 

[Hem]

So i guess sterilizing my hands after using the gas pump is overkill.

 

[406dn]

It's obvious that masks didn't do what the "experts" thought or pretended they would. Otherwise, Covid wouldn't have spread like it did.

The single largest reason covid spread so rapidly was, there was not a single human on the planet that had any natural immunity. Every person the virus encountered was a virgin, so to speak.

Much of the effort to slow it down was to not overwhelm the health care system. We still pretty well swamped it.

You are wrong about the masks, but I don't expect you to admit it.

 

[El Jason]

Talking about Covid is like a bad case of herpes for some.

 

[Straight Arrow]

For my Mom who turned 101 yrs old during Covid era, it was the worst of times as she lived in a senior apartment center which was locked down. Her nephew could not even visit to deliver her favorite chocolate bars. She angrily stated, "I was born during the 1918 flu pandemic ... and now I'm gonna take this damn Covid pandemic with me!"
Fortunately, the apartment center allowed me and my daughter to be with her when she passed ... and Covid passed soon after.

 

[Hem]

I think it depends on why you are doing it.

Sick people with snot and fecal on their hands, for starters.

 

[Nuts]

Not going to speculate on if mask's work or not. But I do think the lack of consistency is an issue. We do a lot of work in the hospitals. Currently as of today. (2) have no mask mandates and its up to the individual. (1) has a mask mandate and it is posted masks required beyond this point. The first person you see is security and they are not wearing mask's. So you ask. And get "recommended but not required". If there is science behind it why is it a question? Just do it. It was the same during covid. My wife wore one everyday even prior to covid because of her job. I have a daughter who is a nurse and wears one everyday even if not required. My other daughter who is a nurse does not wear one and thinks its stupid and she is a triage nurse in the ER so she sees more then anyone. None of them got more sick then the other. So who knows.
The comment earlier about thousands of health care workers dying I had not heard that before. Certainly was not in our area of PA. Surprised that wasn't bigger news.
The shortage of health care workers is interesting. What I saw with those I know was if you were close to retirement and all this back and forth with mask's and other stuff they just said I am out. To much of a pain and the politicalness of Health Care has made it unbearable. I didn't see anyone quitting because people didn't want to wear mask's and didn't care. Doesn't mean it didn't happen elsewhere I just don't think it happen here

 

[Gulf of America]

I didn't see anyone quitting because people didn't want to wear mask's and didn't care. Doesn't mean it didn't happen elsewhere I just don't think it happen here

They didn't quit because people did or did not wear masks, they quit because people based their decisions (masks and otherwise) on political fealty rather than public health guidance. They quit because they were verbally abused by people who refused to follow guidelines that they had no part in setting but were required to comply by. They quit because people placed no value on their fellow man. They quit because they got tired of caring for people who refused to care for themselves or others. A man in Helena brandished a gun at a restaurant worker who asked him to comply with the state mask mandate. Our governor pardoned him. They quit because of shit like that.

Edit: they quit because of assholes like this:

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

https://share.google/rB4STtUgKNCWunIDG

 

[Randy11]

It doesn't hurt me, but it just provides some humor for me especially the people wearing them in their car riding by themselves.

I am so God damn sick of this joke.

I have an interstitial lung disease and live in an area with terrible air quality in the summer. I have a kick ass filtration system in my house, but obviously my beat up old pickup doesn't. You can bet your ass when I go out when it's 100 AQI, I listen to my pulmonologist and wear a mask while driving. I'm not going to risk messing up the little bit of lung function I still have.

What ever happened to people minding their own damn business?

 

[Nuts]

They didn't quit because people did or did not wear masks, they quit because people based their decisions (masks and otherwise) on political fealty rather than public health guidance. They quit because they were verbally abused by people who refused to follow guidelines that they had no part in setting but were required to comply by. They quit because people placed no value on their fellow man. They quit because they got tired of caring for people who refused to care for themselves or others. A man in Helena brandished a gun at a restaurant worker who asked him to comply with the state mask mandate. Our governor pardoned him. They quit because of shit like that.

Edit: they quit because of assholes like this: View attachment 401419

Well the political thing I get. It was rough. I think when you force your views on others there will always be pushback. But I don't think one can say that because someone doesn't agree or do what you believe they don't care about you. As for caring for people who don't care for themselves that's 75% of working in healthcare. I have not found a mask yet that does not cause skin irritation. And when I wear one oddly enough I always get a MRSA type flare up at my nose.

Randy11 What ever happened to people minding their own damn business? I couldn't agree more

 

[cgasner1]

I am so God damn sick of this joke.

I have an interstitial lung disease and live in an area with terrible air quality in the summer. I have a kick ass filtration system in my house, but obviously my beat up old pickup doesn't. You can bet your ass when I go out when it's 100 AQI, I listen to my pulmonologist and wear a mask while driving. I'm not going to risk messing up the little bit of lung function I still have.

What ever happened to people minding their own damn business?

That’s a very interesting take on the whole thing. I appreciate you posting that sorry you gotta deal with that stuff. Makes the asthma I had as kid not seem so bad

 

[elkduds]

The comment earlier about thousands of health care workers dying I had not heard that before. Certainly was not in our area of PA. Surprised that wasn't bigger news.
The shortage of health care workers is interesting. What I saw with those I know was if you were close to retirement and all this back and forth with mask's and other stuff they just said I am out. To much of a pain and the politicalness of Health Care has made it unbearable. I didn't see anyone quitting because people didn't want to wear mask's and didn't care. Doesn't mean it didn't happen elsewhere I just don't think it happen here

AI Overview

Precise total figures for U.S. healthcare worker COVID-19 deaths are challenging to pinpoint due to reporting inconsistencies, but an investigation by
The Guardian and Kaiser Health News found that more than 3,600 U.S. healthcare workers died within the first year of the pandemic.