MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I think it’s a ref to the Jonestown Massacre, where almost a thousand cult members were convinced (ish) by Jim Jones to drink poisoned Cool-aidI think it’s a ref to the Jonestown Massacre, where almost a thousand cult members were convinced (ish) by Jim Jones to drink poisoned Cool-aid
Well, it's a bit more than that. It's become a cultural metaphor, a way of saying a large group of people are blindly obeying a suggested course of action that might not be in their best long-term interests.
. I do wonder what would happen if we a had a really serious national crisis that meant a lot more than people’s 2nd holiday was banned.
We'd be stuffed if we had an Ebola outbreak.....
Nah, wouldn't be much blatant lockdown cheating going on if people were keeling over in the street with blood squirting out of their eyeballs.
Well, yeah, I understand "drunk the Kool-Aid" to mean that you've perhaps blindly or unwisely bought into something. I don't understand the relevance here unless the poster was suggesting that the whole pandemic thing is a hoax. And I rather hoped that no-one could be quite that stupid so figured I'd probably misunderstood.
Cool aid surely refers to the yippies and the electric cool aid laced with lsd
I don’t understand the relevance here unless the poster was suggesting that the whole pandemic thing is a hoax.
I think it might have been just about your suicide comment… nothing to do with this medical emergency. On a more serious note, there is a lot of work being done at the moment as regards people persuading others to take their own lives… it is one thing that the social media companies are taking very seriously.
Too subtle, metalheart. Lay it on thicker next time.
planes are ideal places to catch it.
No they're not. Actual real research and science that has been conducted over recent months it has been proven that planes are amongst the safest places you can be regarding transmittal of Covid. Counter intuitive I know, but our intuitions all told us masks would make a difference and they had zero impact on the occurrence or severity of a second wave, so our 'common sense' intuitions don't necessarily apply in the real world. Covid also spread just as quickly in China and SE Asia early on where mask wearing was common even before COVID so they did little to subdue the spread in those countries.
One of the most important factors that prevents the spread is having clean fresh air that minimises the chances and exposure to infected saliva droplets. In an environment where air is exchanged frequently the chances of transmittal is very low. On aircraft the cabin air is exchanged every 10 - 15 minutes or so and filtered through HEPA filters. Also the way air flows within an aircraft cabin where it goes from the top to the bottom means any airborne droplets of infected saliva are sucked down to the floor and extracted away via the floor vents, so very little chance of being consumed by passengers as it can only spread through consumption of anothers infected saliva...so long as you don't lick the tray tables where droplets could have settled you're relatively safe.
It spread around the world by infections in-country not on aircraft. Airports are now covid secure. You're still subject to quarantine rules either end, but if you're happy to comply with that then there is no reason not to fly and go visit other countries if you're not prohibited to do so and happy to do the quarantine time at either end. I know several people who have travelled to see family over recent months and sucked up the quarantine at both ends. One of the beauties of working from home for many is that you can be anywhere. You can work from quarantine anywhere in the world, spend some time with family then fly back and work while quarantining back at home. It's hard time I realise but depends how much you want to see your family.
Thanks Wobbliscott
I have it on reasonably good authority that none of the crew have contracted the virus whilst at work for the airline I work for.
but our intuitions all told us masks would make a difference and they had zero impact on the occurrence or severity of a second wave
How do you come to that conclusion?
but our intuitions all told us masks would make a difference and they had zero impact on the occurrence or severity of a second wave,
based on what?
Actual real research and science that has been conducted over recent months it has been proven that planes are amongst the safest places you can be regarding transmittal of Covid.
Please reference the peer reviewed research....
Counter intuitive I know, but our intuitions all told us masks would make a difference and they had zero impact on the occurrence or severity of a second wave, so our ‘common sense’ intuitions don’t necessarily apply in the real world. Covid also spread just as quickly in China and SE Asia early on where mask wearing was common even before COVID so they did little to subdue the spread in those countries.
Why would you undermine what seems a perfectly reasonable argument about plane safety with this horseshit? I am now wondering whether all that stuff about filtration is bollocks, too.
There is plenty of evidence which suggests masks work as part of a package of measures to prevent spread, or at least reduce it.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html
https://www.aseanbriefing.com/news/coronavirus-asia-asean-live-updates-by-country/
Have a scan down that list of Asian countries and tell me how badly they are doing in controlling the spread and associated mortality.
Why would you undermine what seems a perfectly reasonable argument about plane safety with this horseshit?
I suspect he's been listening to an expert called 'Janice' on FB who heard it from a friend.
How do you come to that conclusion?
Because masks were introduced in-between lockdowns and 2nd lockdown happened despite us all wearing masks. So they don't appear to have been much of an effective mechanism against the spread. The science is what the science is so don't listen to me...listen to the science.
Why would you undermine what seems a perfectly reasonable argument about plane safety with this horseshit?
What the bit about plane safety or impact of masks? Planes are safe. that is a point of scientific fact.
There is plenty of evidence which suggests masks work as part of a package of measures to prevent spread, or at least reduce it.
Agree with that...part of a package but hard to disseminate the actual contribution that masks have made. The way the second wave took off suggests they had a minimal contribution to the prevention of the second wave occurring. And the fact the spread in China and SE Asia where mask wearing is common. No measure on their own is 100% effective so of course it's a case of a package of measures.
Anyway, my point is planes are safe. And in congestion with quarantine measures at either end there is no reason to dob your neighbour in for taking a flight.
Because masks were introduced in-between lockdowns and 2nd lockdown happened despite us all wearing masks. So they don’t appear to have been much of an effective mechanism against the spread. The science is what the science is so don’t listen to me…listen to the science.
OK, this seems pointless, but just look at the shape of the curve for the present wave vs wave 1, and tell me that the mitigation we put in place has had no impact (masks being one of the primary measures). Of course there are other factors yet to be determined, both physical and behavioural.
Masks were never going to prevent wave 2, whatever hopeful noises were being made by politicians. But they, and other distancing measures, look likely to have mitigated its impact so far.
The impact of foreign/domestic travel on the timing and extent of the second wave, like the impact on travel to Italian ski resorts on the first, has yet to be fully understood. But it's OK to say we don't know.
I never trust anyone who speaks in absolutes - x is safe, y is unsafe. So your proclamation about air travel is immediately undermined. Plenty of the points you have made are reasonable, and I would agree that the quality of filtration and airflow in the aircraft cabin, in conjunction with mask usage to reduce droplet spread to adjacent rows, quite possibly makes it relatively safe compared with other forms of public transport. But one thing we are learning is that the absolutes spouted at various points of this pandemic - schoolkids can't transmit it, there is no evidence of spread in pubs and restaurants etc etc generally turn out to be more about a desperation to project confidence than actual science. And no form of public transport where you confine infected individuals in close proximity to uninfected for a prolonged period should be assumed to be entirely risk-free.
PS. Literally two seconds on Google
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4969063/
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/11/20-3254_article
Even ****ing IATA describe it as a low risk, not zero risk.
So they don’t appear to have been much of an effective mechanism against the spread.
Are you saying that the timing and scale of the "second wave" have not been effected by mask wearing? Remember, you claimed "zero impact".
don’t listen to me
Probably wise.
What the bit about plane safety or impact of masks? Planes are safe. that is a point of scientific fact.
In order for it to be a real fact, rather than an 'internet fact' there would be a number of peer reviewed studies which analysed the data etc and came to that conclusion, care to reference any?
Airports are now covid secure.
What does that mean exactly? How is it measured?
They are probably quite low risk now mainly as no one is using them, but then so is any empty space...
Weighing in with my perspective - I'm currently abroad and travelled out here last week. I live in England. My dad lives out here and since March there have been virtually no direct flights. Direct flights resumed on about 1 November and I was booked for the 7th. That got cancelled due to lockdown, but I managed to find an alternative route out here. Some may query the legality of it, but my dad lives alone and hasn't seen any of his family since February so I was willing to give it a go on the basis that it was actually possible for the first time in months. We didn't leave the house for anything other than solo exercise in the week or so before we came out here, and we will do the same on our return (although there's no formal quarantine requirement at the moment as case levels out here are much lower than at home). I'm actually working from "home" today (although I am taking some time as holiday while I'm out here). I did worry about the flight, but I'm doing everything I can to manage the risk.
Too subtle, metalheart. Lay it on thicker next time.
Yeah, sorry about that. I’ll wear my hobnail boots next time.
Drinking the kool-aid does emanate from the Jonestown Massacre (the Rev Jim Jones ‘mass-suicide’)... which was the point. (And the reason for the emoji)
Cougar
The origin of both "drink the kool aid" and" acid test"
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Electric_Kool-Aid_Acid_Test
Drinking the kool-aid does emanate from the Jonestown Massacre (the Rev Jim Jones ‘mass-suicide’)… which was the point. (And the reason for the emoji)
Sorry, I clearly wasn't paying attention.
Whilst I knew the meaning of the phrase, I didn't know that's where it came from.
Its not
See my post above
No tj, it ain’t:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_the_Kool-Aid
There is a huge difference between taking acid to poison...
I thought the same as TJ before this thread enlightened me. Every day’s a school day.
The phrase predates jonestown
Sorry, I clearly wasn’t paying attention.
Don’t worry, not everyone is the possessor of the Sav X Death Cult Jonestown Memorial Card set... 🤪
The phrase predates jonestown
It did however take on it’s current meaning from being fed cynanide laced Kool-aid. I even gave you a reference and everything.
ETA: no need to get personal so removed inflammatory statement... 😔
you just keep on keeping on and arguing pointless shit, well, because.
I'll add... I used to use this phrase often... I don't think I will be from now on.
The phrase predates jonestown
I can find literally no evidence that this is true TJ, sorry. Not beyond your hippy bus popularising the brand, anyway.
More reading... and it wasn't even Kool-Aid that was used by Jim Jones et el anyway.
Let's not cross swords over this... I thought the "Acid Test" stuff was also where the "drinking the Kool-Aid" phrase came from just as TJ still does. Really not worth arguing over. The phrase has changed for me now... I'm not using it from now on.
I’ll add… I used to use this phrase often… I don’t think I will be from now on.
Ditto. I'd literally no idea, I thought it was analogous with 'eating your own dog food.'
Aside from being in bad taste (so to speak), it's not overly fair on Kool Aid when according to Wikipedia it was "Flavor Aid."
Ditto. I’d literally no idea, I thought it was analogous with ‘eating your own dog food.’
Is that a Lancashire thing?
There was no need for it, sorry.
He does need reminding every so often to just 'let it go'....
I'd always assumed that Acid Test it was like 'litmus test,' the definitive proof of something.
So I just looked it up. And it is, it dates to the late 18th Century where they used acid to test for gold. So your Electric Acid Test there isn't the source of that either. It was in use colloquially by at least the mid-1800s.
Is that a Lancashire thing?
Rationing was harsh.
Dunno where it comes from actually, probably just management bullshit bingo I suppose. I've heard it at work several times, referring to using in-house the products we sell.
Sorry to have caused a rumpus, I thought people ‘of a certain age’ knew of the Jonestown connotation...
And, I was not joking about the memorial card set either... 🤪
You could like, open your own Jonestown/Koolaid thread.
Even though it’s a bit silly, I do sympathise with the ‘what would people do if there was a real war on’ viewpoint. There’s never been a better time in history to ride something like this out. No one’s going to starve and tech means we can all stay in contact. All this bleating about mental-health cos they can’t go to the pub or go on holiday is pathetic.
I also notice a lot of snobbery and hypocrisy. “Those working class people going to the seaside are scum and should be welded in to their tower blocks etc”, followed by a load of rationalising about why they should be able to go to Scotland because they’ve worked hard and Harriet’s has a really tough year at uni etc etc...”
I do sympathise with the ‘what would people do if there was a real war on’ viewpoint.
At the risk of getting the thread even further off-topic, I have thought a couple of times that it was probably a bit like this during the war anyway.
Just without social media you wouldn't know so much about people breaking blackout, cheating on rationing etc.
Of course I wasn't there, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't all like a Powell & Pressburger film.
SO BoJo was photographed less than 2 metres from the MP who tested +ve for Covid, neither of whom are wearing masks, indoors. then Matt Hancock says they were social distancing, despite not.
So with that kind of behaviour going on, what hope do we have of people following any good examples?
All this bleating about mental-health cos they can’t go to the pub or go on holiday is pathetic.
I would add that there's a difference between the mental health issues from severely restricted contact with friends and family - not everyone is tech savvy - and thinking your mental health is suffering because you haven't had your fortnight in Benidorm this year. As ever, we tend to use broad brush language when there's actually quite a lot of variation in people's experiences.
@chakaping. Probably a mixture of both. For some, it’ll likely relieve some tension and also be a bit of a balance check that they’re not the only one getting annoyed and/or upset.
I think the downside is that if we keep posting about “infringements” then it makes it look like everyone is ignoring the rules and that, in turn, makes us each less likely to abide by them “because no one else is”.
I hadn't thought about it normalising the rule-breaking, but that is a good point.
Personally I sometimes vent - like when I saw a group of 10 or more MTBers last Saturday - but I usually restrain myself because I feel I'd be adding to the negativity and the general Daily Mail-esque "hell in a handcart" vibe.
There's actually been a good amount of intelligent comment in here though, and people do see that the UK Gov't has failed us all badly.
Cougar
Well, yeah, I understand “drunk the Kool-Aid” to mean that you’ve perhaps blindly or unwisely bought into something. I don’t understand the relevance here unless the poster was suggesting that the whole pandemic thing is a hoax. And I rather hoped that no-one could be quite that stupid so figured I’d probably misunderstood.
Uh, stop stressing ... I've used the term about this pandemic quite often.
Be it correct usage or not I've used in it the context of blindly following rules.
When I challenged your earlier statement I said in part the problem we are in is due to people blindly following "rules" with no common sense.
One of your examples is "nosemasks"... blindly following the rule... yuep they are "wearing" a mask. Kids being sent into shops as "they are not allowed to wear a mask", just about any covidiot that wants claiming medical exemptions... people I know with asthma refusing to wear a mask when they wear one in pollen season....
Banning mask wearing for children in classrooms even when those children live with vulnerable people.... forcing the sibling of someone sent home to self isolate to go into school and then preventing them wearing a mask.
Our local council declared all it's construction, tree trimmers and grass cutters to be "key workers" in Lockdown #1, all legally safe?
All these are following the RULES... and then add to that the patriotic duty to go to a pub or resto. I walked past a Wetherspoons a few hours ago in the window it had a poster with a whole load of legally safe "Sunak Cocktails"
All these are LEGALLY SAFE things ... as was travelling to Aberdeen from London to get a Covid test...
Add some confusion if its legally safe to drive to Barnard Castle with impaired vision? (Covid or not)
Actual real research and science that has been conducted over recent months it has been proven that planes are amongst the safest places you can be regarding transmittal of Cov
You are probably referring to the 'study' done by the United Airlines and Boeing. They used a mannekin, no one movedand it only faced front. It also seemed to assume that airplanes run the filtration system at full tilt for the entire flight, which they notoriously dont do because it costs to do so. It also assumed 1 infected person and that everyone else wore a mask
Its findings were also disputed by doctors.
intuitions all told us masks would make a difference and they had zero impact on the occurrence or severity of a second wave, so our ‘common sense’ intuitions don’t necessarily apply in the real wor
The study you talk of seems to based around the idea that masks do have a measureable effect, so you should probably pick one of the two and stick to it. Flying is safe if everyone wears a mask and masks have zero impact? Errrrr.
SO BoJo was photographed less than 2 metres from the MP who tested +ve for Covid, neither of whom are wearing masks, indoors. then Matt Hancock says they were social distancing, despite not.
A lot of people think they are social distancing when they aren't. Especially after a few drinks. Yes, we could meet friends at the pub in the summer but the 2 metre rule for non-household members still applied. Local TV news yesterday had a reporter interviewing someone on a charity run, running alongside them, less than 2 metres and no mask. It just normalises incorrect behaviour.
But I think there is a case that focusing on the minority breaking the rules does distort our perception of what the majority are doing to try and follow the rules
Banning mask wearing for children in classrooms even when those children live with vulnerable people…
Who is banning children from wearing masks?
You are probably referring to the ‘study’ done by the United Airlines and Boeing. They used a mannekin, no one movedand it only faced front. It also seemed to assume that airplanes run the filtration system at full tilt for the entire flight, which they notoriously dont do because it costs to do so. It also assumed 1 infected person and that everyone else wore a mask
Reminds me of
My neighbours have different family and friends over every weekend. This weekend it was her elderly dad. Last weekend her kids and grandkids. Weekend before that golf buddies over for lunch after a game.
It’s hard not to be pissed of when we are making sacrifices and not seeing people so we can stick to the rules. Our families all live a long way away so if they come they need to stay. We don’t have the option for just meeting up for a walk. So we just don’t see them.
Same here sadly Frank. Relatives are all a long way away, so have become Zoom relatives this year. It’ll really hit home over the Christmas break, we normally see everyone and have huge “not enough room at the table” get togethers with sleeping bags made full use of. We haven’t seen the kids’ grandparents all year. House behind us have been having 10+ people over for a party every weekend, all year. And this is while they know of a series of deaths on our road. The response to this is very variable… everyone can claim they are using their common sense no doubt.
Who is banning children from wearing masks?
My girlfriend works in a school. Masks aren't allowed in class, kids and staff alike. The exceptions are one-to-ones where they can wear a visor. And, irony of ironies, outside.
Whether this is national policy or the head being a control freak I do not know, I have a sample size of "one."
Actually, I have an ex who's a teacher, I could ask her and increase my sample by 100%.
My girlfriend works in a school. Masks aren’t allowed in class, kids and staff alike. The exceptions are one-to-ones where they can wear a visor. And, irony of ironies, outside.
Whether this is national policy or the head being a control freak I do not know, I have a sample size of “one.”
Actually, I have an ex who’s a teacher, I could ask her and increase my sample by 100%.
Surely this is reportable?
https://www.cieh.org/ehn/health-and-safety/2020/april/hse-opens-up-anonymous-hotline-for-workers/
Whistleblowers can now report COVID-19 concerns directly to watchdog, rather than via management.
Plenty of primary teachers have reported the same… not allowed face coverings when with their own class. I know of several schools were the kids aren’t allowed masks in class either. The HSE exception for schools seems legally sound (if perhaps lacking in logic).
I would add that there’s a difference between the mental health issues from severely restricted contact with friends and family – not everyone is tech savvy – and thinking your mental health is suffering because you haven’t had your fortnight in Benidorm this year. As ever, we tend to use broad brush language when there’s actually quite a lot of variation in people’s experiences.
Actually though, I think upthread someone made a good point. Most of us do work really hard all year, for the opportunity to make our lives better. An awful lot of people hang their year on the holidays, the chance they have to get away from the daily grind and just enjoy themselves. Maybe like a mental reset switch, where you can compartmentalise all the shit "over there" and be in a better place.
I'm not like this at all, but I can understand (especially if you have a terrible job or your life is horrible) that "two weeks in benidorm" or whatever can look pretty inconsequential from outside, yet might carry a large portion of someone's reason for existence. My mental health is tied to my ability to ride, a fact pretty common on here. For an outsider, that would sound ridiculous, but it's true. Bit more empathy on all sides wouldn't go amiss I feel.
Weird. I know they believed it wasn't necessary due to the bubbles but I didn't realise it was actually being prevented. I know Bojo sad it wasn't necessary and you couldn't teach or learn with your face covered ( except for niqabs).
There have been some schools that have allowed it and some that have required it. So it seems like it must be set by school or region or something.
Wonder what those schools would do if someone insisted on wearing one in class.
Wonder what those schools would do if someone insisted on wearing one in class.
Children refusing to remove a face mask when requested will be removed from the class and if they continue to refuse sent home.
Plenty of primary teachers have reported the same… not allowed face coverings when with their own class. I know of several schools were the kids aren’t allowed masks in class either. The HSE exception for schools seems legally sound (if perhaps lacking in logic).
OH's school teachers are allowed masks, kids not
Jnr's school no masks in class but allowed outside (so long as they are the correct colour - not white or blue)
Weird. I know they believed it wasn’t necessary due to the bubbles but I didn’t realise it was actually being prevented. I know Bojo sad it wasn’t necessary and you couldn’t teach or learn with your face covered ( except for niqabs).
Defies all logic... of course non of the kids have siblings or live with grandparents or other vulnerable family members.
On a par with paying for people to go to pubs.
The HSE exception for schools seems legally sound (if perhaps lacking in logic).
Exactly my point of my post.... i.e. people following the rules are spreading the virus, not just those that break the rules.
The BIGGER picture is when you do this what do people follow.
6 kids and parents in fancy dress seems inconsequential if the kids are in the same bubble.
Our local parks are jammed after school with the kids all mixing anyway.
Schools complaining parents dropping/picking up kids are not wearing masks outdoors then jam the kids into a crowded classroom and prevent them wearing masks...???
People's mental health is definitely affected by the pandemic throwing the triviality of their entire lives into sharp relief. Not being able to go on holiday or have a laugh with your pals in the pub means dealing with a major existential crisis 24 hours a day.
Certainly all secondary schools in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire seem to be on full masks. Not sure if primary is the same.
know of several schools were the kids aren’t allowed masks in class either. The HSE exception for schools seems legally sound
I think that is absolutely ****ing scandalous.
Utterly unbelievable.
31 people
Inside
In a small space
For seven hours
Day after day after day
And people are upset at 3 old biddies going for a walk together outside.
Or people going for a bike ride together.
This country is run by the criminally insane.
I do like all the 'you never done a WAR!' people.
hopefully a global pandemic is the worst people will have to face in their lives.
Wonder what those schools would do if someone insisted on wearing one in class.
It doesn't even get to that point.
There's such a pressure on the kids to comply that they won't refuse.
My two would do absolutely anything for me, but if I asked either of them to be the only one in a class of thirty to break the rules and wear a mask they'd struggle to get through the school gate without tears. 😭
I do like all the ‘you never done a WAR!’ people.
Anyone who 'done a war' must be over 80 to even vaguely remember done-ing a war.
Hmmmm, I think a lot of this "during the war...." stuff is just poorly articulated, and therefore easily misinterpreted.
One of the things that I've found quite stark is how people from very safe, stable, prosperous regions are responding to even the slightest infringements on their "liberties" - juxtaposed with how people in other parts of the world live day-in, day-out.
hopefully a global pandemic is the worst people will have to face in their lives.
Agreed. One only needs to have a passing interest in history to understand that many of us have lived through an absolutely unprecedented period of peace and prosperity. I certainly think that some people (not directed at anyone on here) need to get a ****ing grip, and check their privilege. If you've still got a job, and are not worried about getting evicted/feeding your kids, then you are better off than many.
In other (not) lockdown news..... here in NSW we are piloting a "eat-out-to-help-out" type scheme, launching in time to support businesses through the post Christmas slump: 4x $25 vouchers to spend in your local cafe.... noice! Interesting as chain cafes/restaurants don't really exist in Australia - pretty much everywhere is an independent.
“two weeks in benidorm” or whatever can look pretty inconsequential from outside, yet might carry a large portion of someone’s reason for existence. My mental health is tied to my ability to ride, a fact pretty common on here. For an outsider, that would sound ridiculous,
I want to sincerely thank you for posting this, because I've tried several times to say something similar and deleted it each time because it sounded pathetic. So, eh, here goes.
I miss escape rooms.
No, wait, come back.
In February 2017, my wife abruptly left me and my world imploded. For a good six months the only time I ventured outside was to go to work or buy food. I was Not Well. And I tried, I did, I tried so hard. I'd arrange to meet up with friends and then bail at the 11th hour because I couldn't face going out of the door.
Then I (re)discovered escape rooms, having played one with work a year previous, and it turned out to be my salvation. I could arrange something fun to do with a small group of close friends, it was something I couldn't readily cancel an hour beforehand, and a "talk" wasn't expected. I threw myself bodily into the community, more recent games I've played have been about 50:50 "have you played before?" and "hello Alan, we've been looking forward to hosting you."
And it sounds ridiculous even typing this, but this little niche hobby genuinely, absolutely saved my mental health. It helped me turned a corner in my life, it dragged me out of a very dark funk of a place and back into the Real World, and essentially delivered me a new family along the way. I say with no intentional melodrama that I'm not entirely convinced I'd have survived 2017-18 if I hadn't found something like this that I could seize with both hands and find solace in.
I'm sure that on paper, people complaining that they miss the pub or the cinema or a fortnight in Benidorm seems trite when others haven't seen their daughter or grandfather in months. "You can't do an escape room, boo hoo." But each and every one of us have whatever it is that we need to wake up tomorrow, and if that is forcibly removed then it hurts and we perhaps shouldn't be judging others too harshly for their bemoaning of pains however trivial their chosen poison happens to appear.
Not that I'm advocating jetting off for a holiday in the sun; rather that it's perhaps a bigger kick in the bollocks that one can't do so right now than might first appear.
@cougar we have played a couple of online escape rooms that were pretty good. https://thepanicroom.net/online-escape-rooms It might not be quite the same but at least give you some of the enjoyment that you are missing.
Well put @cougar.
For your escape rooms see my running races. It’s something to throw yourself into, to aim for and to train for.
And they oddly give structure to a year. Winter is cross country and a few road 10k’s, spring is marathons, summer is half’s and a few trail races, autumn is marathons again. Every weekend is parkrun.
and “hello Alan, we’ve been looking forward to hosting you.”
.....But each and every one of us have whatever it is that we need to wake up tomorrow, ....
Nicely put. Well done for sharing that eloquently.
Great post Cougar!
Lovely post Cougar. Helps out a different perspective on things.
loum
It doesn’t even get to that point.
There’s such a pressure on the kids to comply that they won’t refuse.My two would do absolutely anything for me, but if I asked either of them to be the only one in a class of thirty to break the rules and wear a mask they’d struggle to get through the school gate without tears.
This is ABSOLUTELY the case.
Although we were sent a letter threatening to send the children home if they did it doesn't even get to that point!
TheGeneralist
I think that is absolutely **** scandalous.
Utterly unbelievable.
31 people
Inside
In a small space
For seven hours
Day after day after dayAnd people are upset at 3 old biddies going for a walk together outside.
Or people going for a bike ride together.
This country is run by the criminally insane.
Agreed but more directly to the point is moaning about parents not wearing masks OUTSIDE to pick up children who have just been locked INSIDE classrooms without masks for 7 hours a day.
Certainly all secondary schools in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire seem to be on full masks. Not sure if primary is the same.
Are you sure?
The restriction is inside classrooms not outside. Jnr's school relaxed the rules and they can and indeed are told to wear a mask outside but not in classrooms.
If you walk/drive/cycle past then you see them wearing masks.
One or two observations/anecdotes, in no particular order.
Firstly my wife has been working as patient-facing NHS (radiographer) in a community hospital throughout. She has not yet contracted covid. She has boils and skin problems she has not had since being a teenager, however, as a result of wearing a mask all day at work, only moving it temporarily to eat/drink. As she said "If you follow the guidance you don't catch it". Yet. But it does show that, in a high risk setting, it is possible not to catch covid.
On the other hand we have two kids at school, one primary (village school fairly small catchment he walks to school) one secondary (town school, wide catchment she goes on the school bus). I work from home and am only really meeting one person outside of my household for socially distanced mtb rides. In a weird way, it is the kids that are the biggest risk to us. But the teachers are the ones really running the biggest risks. If our household contracts covid it is probably a safe bet it will come via school. I feel for the teachers, and there is some pressure on them not to wear face coverings in class.
dannyh ... first off hats off to the teachers and your wife... but though this is personally 2 different things public health wise it isn't.
Assuming (hoping) neither yourself or your wife are in high risk groups if the wife gets the virus from the kids we just lost a radiographer for 2 weeks and not every family of the kids will be low risk either, some may die.
Not 100% sure what you mean, but we are in a bizarre situation where I am effectively a hermit, my wife is meeting every Tom, Dick or Harry but managing to stay safe (so far), yet the kids are mixing with classmates/kids on the bus etc.
But what else can we do? As noted above, I could order the kids to wear face coverings in school, but the second a teacher tells them they have to remove it, they would. They've been brought up to respect authority.
They are both marched to the sink by me when they get in for handwashing with soap and hot water. My wife continues to shower on arrival home.
There isn't much else we can do. If the kids bring it home, we've all got it end of.
dannyh:
You are doing everything you can.... I'm not suggesting otherwise.
I'm just pointing out how batshit crazy the situation is!
But what else can we do? As noted above, I could order the kids to wear face coverings in school, but the second a teacher tells them they have to remove it, they would. They’ve been brought up to respect authority.
I suspect mine would tell the teacher where to go, he's been brought up to respect authority that is earned. [e.g. What I tell him is rideable he ignores 😉 and what he tells me I can ride I trust because he earned that]
As for masks in class he's fully aware how stupid it is to ban them as I'm sure have most 11yr olds - he stopped believing in father XMAS, tooth fairies and unicorns a long time ago and "classrooms are magic and you can't catch the virus in a classroom" is less believable than tooth fairies.
However would it be worth the cost and upset? He's got the balls to tell them but they don't have the balls to stand-up to PHE.
He tried arguing that putting your hands on the person next to you's shoulders wasn't 2m but told to shut up so what else can he do???
I spent Sunday morning waiting for a call to see if I would be allowed a biopsy having been tested Friday... if I failed the test my biopsy would be cancelled with a 11yr old and teacher in the house.
we have played a couple of online escape rooms that were pretty good.
Oddly enough, just yesterday we were discussing doing their Christmas room. I've no idea about the calibre of their online offerings but the 'real' rooms at The Panic Room are very well regarded.
I appreciate the nudge and there are many places now doing similar offerings - Escape the Review is about the most comprehensive round-up in the UK.
Thing is though, they don't scratch the itch in quite the same way. It's like being asked if you want a biscuit with your brew, you get all excited at the prospect of a Jammie Dodger and then you're presented with a plate of Custard Creams.
But this is probably a conversation for a separate topic.
Are you sure?
The restriction is inside classrooms not outside. J
There was definitely a secondary school in Dorset that announced masks would be mandatory in the classroom. Don't know if it actually happened though. I've been told that there is at least one class in a secondary school wearing masks. Whether in violation of a policy and no one knows, no one cares, or not in violation I couldn't tell you
two weeks in benidorm” or whatever can look pretty inconsequential from outside, yet might carry a large portion of someone’s reason for existence. My mental health is tied to my ability to ride, a fact pretty common on here. For an outsider, that would sound ridiculous,
I agree but to use Cougar's example, shop bought jammie dodgers are simply not an option an the moment, so you can have home made ones, some other shop bought confection or find something else that will paper over the cracks until it is safe to fully scratch the itch and have shop bought jammie dodgers.
Trouble is, no one actually has the minerals to stand up and say that there are things which are absolutely off the menu for the time being. Instead giving wishy washy 'advice'
I do remember there was a politician somewhere that did, in the original wave, say I don't know how else to say it so people understand. Stay the &#$@ home.
Anyone else really want jammie dodgers now or is it just me?
At my school masks are compulsory between lessons and up to you in lessons, some do, most dont.