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I suppose everyone knows that every politician, and every executive officer in the world feels the need to "do something" about Covid19.
We've been doing that social distancing thing since early in the game. Everyone has. Face masks, not so much.
Suddenly, our executive branch has decided that face masks are mandatory to even enter the plant. I went to the doctor's office immediately to get an excuse not to wear the mask. Doctor and I had an interesting discussion, in which she reiterated what I already know: masks are bad for healthy people.
Meanwhile, I talked to my co-workers, and told them all that if they didn't want to wear the masks, they needed to get a medical exemption. Everyone says, "I'm getting mine tomorrow morning!" Then it became, "I'm waiting to see what they do about you before I give them mine!" Bunch of no-balls assholes, this is why collective bargaining never works in the south.
So, I take my medical note to HR. Stupid broad lets me work without a mask - for one night. But she's talking on the phone to some bitch somewhere far away, and the second night, I'm barred from entering the plant. Talk, talk, talk, all around the country with people who all think that they're important.
Finally, it's decided that I need to wear a mask to get through the turnstile, and walk through the plant, to my shop. More, I'm being offered a half dozen different options for masks, as opposed to that silly gauze hanging off my ears. I'll test them all out, and see how they work.
BUT - most importantly, I don't have to wear the damned mask for eight, or ten, or twelve hours. Only when I'm face-to-face with someone. Otherwise, the stupid mask can be stuffed into my belt, or pocket, or whatever.
And, I got a near-admission that the masks are pretty meaningless. They do not stop the transmission of the common cold, flu, or Covid19. It's just a feel-good stopgap that shows everyone cares. And, it helps to mitigate any potential liability the company may face for keeping the plant in operation.
Funny thing about the masks I've already seen. There are no brand name tags, or instructions, or anything on them. The best thing I've seen yet, is just a tube, you pull over your head, and down around your neck. Single layer of some artificial fabric, stretchy, and very easy to breathe through. No hot air blowing back in your eyes, or whatever. Did EVERYONE in the boardrooms forget that it's summer now? It's far too damned hot to be breathing into some stupid bag of gauzey cotton or paper.
I got my point across pretty effectively though. If those assholes in the offices want me to wear a mask that interferes with breathing, they need to bring their fat asses into the factory, follow me around, and breathe through the same damned masks they want me to breathe through.
The message would have been far more effective, if all of my co-workers had followed through on their promises to bring doctor's excuses in on Monday, like I did. Assholes all need to grow a pair. They can talk a good story, but they have no real fight in them.
I promise that whatever mask I decide to carry around with me, it will almost never be over my face.
Tonight, we see what we see. Maybe they'll just get pissed off, and lay me off. I can lay around the house and collect unemployment for awhile!!
BTW - as an aside - I mentioned 8, or 10, or 12 hours above. Which explains why I've not been so active here on Soylent. Too many days and too many hours for me to spend much time on the internets. Nice paydays though!
I'll try to post back, and let you all know which mask works best for me.
And, yes, claustrophobia is a legitimate excuse not to wear some stupid rag over your face. There are others, but claustrophobia is about the easiest to "prove" to anyone's satisfaction.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 12 2020, @04:45PM (7 children)
The mind boggles at your stupidity, misogyny, selfishness and general assholery.
The only valid thing in your entire manifesto there was:
Correct, there is no need for masks when there is no risk of transmission to others.
But of course right back to stupid. Non N95 masks do not stop the virus from getting through, just a small percent of protection, but that is not the point. The point of everyone wearing a mask is to prevent your breath from spreading out in a wider area, so that if you are carrying any viruses they lose momentum and don't spread in a cloud to everyone nearby.
I really wish you angry assholes would invert your emotional priorities and follow the science first. Would save you a lot of emotional angst, and possibly your job if the wrong person catches you calling the the doctor a "stupid broad."
(Score: 0, Offtopic) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday June 12 2020, @04:59PM (6 children)
Everybody here is missing the point entirely: That the COVID-19 virus is a grossly overblown scam and the widespread endorsement of the protests validates that claim. Well, maybe we'll have to wait a couple weeks and see, but I'm pretty damn convinced.
The covid + protests are nothing more than a corporate coup funded by globalists and Chicoms* and administered by treacherous politicians. This all at its core is nothing but an extremely desperate but well-organized "Fuck Trump!" hiding behind the black and anti-police causes as political human shields. My city is actually okay now, but the thought of treacherous politicians and businesses trying to drag this temper-tantrum all the way through November holding the population's economy and sanity hostage out of spite of a lawful election process makes by blood boil.
I want my fucking bars back! And I want to sit in them elbow-to-elbow with no fucking mask! I want my football season to start on time! I want to eat a nice steak in a packed restaurant and not have it feel like a desolate surgical ward!
* The Chinese and American businesses doing business in China all have a lot to lose from a looming trade and sanctions war, so you bet your ass they're all gonna gang up on Trump
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 12 2020, @05:52PM
Still no job, eh, Ethanol_foogled? Get a job, you hippy!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 12 2020, @05:59PM
Oooh, hit the Ethanol-Fueled trigger spot! Thans for the validation bub :D
(Score: 3, Funny) by DannyB on Friday June 12 2020, @06:39PM
I think most masks are more general purpose and not intended for only certain specific activities.
Young people won't believe you if you say you used to get Netflix by US Postal Mail.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 12 2020, @10:25PM
Better than dragging lockdowns until November though, right?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @01:53AM
Ethanol-fueled is a party shill.
That is why he brought up "lawful election."
We already have voting by mail and it works great. The GOP is just scared shitless because that will ruin all their hard work shutting down voting stations in black / democrat areas, purging voters from the lists, and all the other number of election fraud practices they use to win their key districts.
Such a bunch of sad fucking losers, no wonder the party went to shit. You can't have such widespread immorality and expect things to hold together. Trump should have thought of that before fucking up the pandemic response. Womp womp :P
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 14 2020, @07:28AM
I know they aren't quite bars, but will some dildoes do instead?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 12 2020, @08:39PM (6 children)
But stay the hell away from me!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 12 2020, @09:36PM (5 children)
Good luck, these are the types of assholes who will call you a liberal pussy for wearing a mask and than cough/sneeze/spit in your face.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 12 2020, @09:49PM (3 children)
Fortunately, I live nearly 1500 miles from Runaway. And the vast majority of folks where I live are empathetic enough to protect others and themselves by wearing face coverings and maintaining social distance.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @01:59AM (2 children)
Lucky. I've been considering moving out of the US myself. I don't WANT to, but if we don't start righting this ship the country is fucked big time.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @02:48AM (1 child)
So, where to? Most countries implemented insane lockdowns of healthy people with a resulting decimation of their economies.
Even cancel culture has taken hold across the Atlantic.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @03:47AM
As Otto Maddox [wikipedia.org] said to Kevin when asked where he was going: "Away from you."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @05:19AM
"Good luck, these are the types of assholes who will call you a liberal pussy for wearing a mask and than cough/sneeze/spit in your face."
And just in case some are thinking that will never happen read this. [kob.com] Unfortunately, as this pandemic continues you can expect that more and more of these emotionally and/or psychologically fragile people will crack under the stress. And the stakes get raised higher when these emotionally stressed people decide to interpret a face mask as some sort of political statement or challenge. This next year is going to be hard.
(Score: 2) by Arik on Saturday June 13 2020, @01:46AM (10 children)
Still, I'm hoping it sticks as fashion. My face is mine. It's not for your amusement.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @02:03AM (8 children)
OoooOooOhhh
Dempanic, so you're one of THOSE nutjobs. Yet another false flagging blowhard. Thanks for constantly dropping the breadcrumbs about your true views.
(Score: 2) by Arik on Saturday June 13 2020, @02:17AM (7 children)
Good.
You know what I like the most?
Breathing. It's the best.
I trust you will do the right thing with this knowledge.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @03:09AM (6 children)
Evil? No. Misguided and damaging to society? A bit.
(Score: 2) by Arik on Saturday June 13 2020, @03:16AM (5 children)
Good, you might not be entirely beyond reason then.
"Misguided and damaging to society? A bit."
How? Why?
You need to provide some sort of conclusive rationale for that judgement.
Otherwise you're just another Bush.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @05:09AM (4 children)
Best of luck to you, I wish you the best on your personal journey of self-discovery and growth. /no_sarcasm
(Score: 2) by Arik on Saturday June 13 2020, @05:14AM (3 children)
But at least you were polite. Kudos.
A parting gift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqPClltS5k8&list=RDG4J-l8DDH78
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @06:11AM (2 children)
We are well past well meaning fellow citizens. Assholes like Runaway1956 are trying to kill us all. This is not a matter of "thinking differently", it is a matter of thinking wrong. We need to identify, and isolate, and kill if necessary, any fuck face that thinks like our dear and spongey brained Runaway does. For the safety of the nation. Our nation. Runaway has left it. He is now a traitor, a public enemy, a fucking boog. Kill on site, mask or no mask. Extreme prejudice is authorized. Take the contagious bastard down!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 14 2020, @03:24PM (1 child)
Stop advocating violence you asshole. I really dislike runaway and his.stupidity, but I'd shoot you in a hesrt best if you try and harm him just for not wearing a mask.
He may be spreading dangerous stipidity but he is only reaching the already stupid like TMB.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 15 2020, @05:28AM
Yeah, sure! "Second-amendment solutions" are all fine and dandy as long it is the deplorably stupid racist wing of the former Republican party that dogwhistles them. But as soon as any patriotic Liberal American suggests that turn about is fair play? Oh, shit! It's avocadoing toast and violence! It's deplatforming the mentally deficient! Not fair!
We, the true Americans, are prepared, like Minutemen, and Committees of Public Safety, to deal with these right wing nut job facists, and their poor Fox News victims. Sometimes, they are just too brainwashed to save. It is called the "coup d'grace", the touch of grace, an act of mercy. We don't want them to suffer!
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @05:38AM
I used it an excuse to turn a bunch of old clothes that charity wouldn't take into rags & masks.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @07:09AM
The hospitals are murdering people! Then they call it "Corona"!
This is all fake!
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2020, @10:02PM
The above post is an immature tantrum thrown by a supposed adult. It is the sad reality of anonymous internet conversations and the price of maintaining a true free speech platform.
While we all defend the right of free speech that does not mean such lame messages are endorsed.
May we all aspire to better standards.
Sincerely,
apk
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 24 2020, @06:48AM
So is Runaway dead yet? Has he gone to join Snow in the Great White North, where ironically, everyone is a kind of reddish brown, Algonquin or Esquimaux style. Was it the Tulsa Rally? Or the Mega-crunch in Arizona? Even Asa is saying that Arkansas is fucked, now. But then, it was not that much nicer before the plague.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Thursday June 25 2020, @01:26PM
I never fail to be amazed at how I needed to wear a space suit top and face shield and work under a hood in o-chem lab decades ago when playing with organometallics even in small qty for a few minutes, but a fatal viral disease by some miracle of OSHA can be protected during a 12 hour shift with a mere bandanna wrapped gangster around my mouth. Or maybe its feel-good bullshit people signalling feel good bullshit again.
Also the virus magically knows if people are "woke" such that the risk of transmission is zero if you're ignoring social distancing and mask rules at an anti-Trump rally or a race riot. However at a former employer, relatively less harmless tasks such as asbestos removal and chromate-epoxy aircraft painting require full space suits.
There was a big push against filtered cigarettes "in the old days" because the filter doesn't entirely prevent lung cancer it just makes it half as likely (or whatever spec) such that telling people its safe because its filtered will result in more people taking risks and more overall deaths despite on a microscale obviously a filter always helps. Likewise toxic facemask culture is going to kill a lot of people; it always annoys me to see idiots out doing recreational stuff in a mask. The "right way" to prevent viral spread is to order everything online and stay the fuck home, not wander the packed shopping mall for eight hours on the weekend coughing on everything and being coughed on, but "its OK couz I haz mask", knowing that the mask does damn near nothing.
Its like there's right wing science and left wing science. Right wing science, which I almost entirely support, gives us stuff like OSHA, which gives us dudes in space suits doing asbestos and lead abatement or viral lab research and cleanroom semiconductors and stuff that actually works like that. Left wing science gives us "you don't have to wear a mask or social distance if its an anti-Trump rally" and "wearing this magical cloth bandanna will magically prevent infections and turns you into one of the good people like me" BS.
I mean, trust me, actual OSHA protection is expensive, and if my former employer could paint repaired construction equipment with chromate-epoxy while only using a 50 cent bandanna for protection instead of using a $5000 space suit.... they would because they were cheap bastards!
Trusting a bandanna to protect you from a fatal viral illness is like having sex with an AIDS patient while wrapping it up with a handkerchief instead of a condom. I mean, yeah, technically, any barrier will help a little, but you have to be a special kind of stupid to think a handkerchief will do anything other than signal you're a dumb sheep that'll do anything the TV says to do.