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And today's grump is....


Bullbasket

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This morning, walking to my Bowling Green, I cross a Zebra Crossing. A woman is parked, barely a yard from the crossing, on the zig-zag lines and slightly on the path. She seemed bemused when I called her an idiot (it might have been a lot worse).

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The Apple mafia!

Every time we turn on our iMac a box pops up asking us to sign in to Apple Podcast, which we are not interested in having. So far I have found it impossible to delete so I have parked it in a corner with just one edge showing. :angry:

 

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And that is why I stick with Windows 7, On a seven year old Toshiba laptop. And the new fone is a Motorola.

 

The free avast anti virus pops up occasionally to try & fool me into parting with money. Hah! Good luck with that.

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Getting abused for not wearing a face mask....

 

Let me give that a bit more context. Due to various health issues, I am exempt from wearing a face covering here in the UK, whilst I do not have to prove my exemption, both myself and my wife have purchased cards from organisations that explain why we are not wearing face coverings, which we have attached to lanyards. These lanyards are the "Sunflower" lanyards which most shops, businesses etc recognise as denoting an individual who is wearing one as having a hidden illness or disability.  For myself, I am asthmatic, and also have anxiety issues whenever I have anything across my mouth/face so therefore am exempt from wearing any face covering.

 

This afternoon I had a need to pop across town to our local PC World/Currys to get a cheap small mouse for my laptop. The store had a small taped off queuing area outside the store which was quite short as I joined it. Stood there an older gentlemen, instead of walking to the end of the tape, and joining that way, decided to squeeze through the narrowest of gaps near to where I was stood, which required me moving out of his way to keep the necessary social distancing from him. At this point the "gentleman" concerned started to give me abuse saying "you might might, not wearing a mask, cause you'll catch it".....

 

My mind is starting to fizz here as I was not expecting this. Most people (and I would estimate 95% of people) know what the sunflower lanyard represents, so why did this person just say this. My reply was to advise him that I had a hidden illness and that I was legally exempt from wearing a face covering, hence why I was wearing the lanyard. Again more abuse from him, and yet more comments about catching Covid. Now sadly my anxiety is starting to kick in, I am also autistic and don't like these situations, and why I have stopped shopping on my own, and will only go shopping now with my wife. Again, I advised him of my legal exemption, of what the lanyard was and that he had no right to abuse me in this way. At this point the staff member on the door stepped in and queried if everything was ok. I told the staff member that the idiot behind me was giving me abuse about not wearing a mask. Thankfully at this point I was able to enter the store, but my anxiety levels were now sky high, and almost verging on a panic attack. I was unable to focus on why I was there or where things were located in the store or anything. It took over 10-15 mins to calm down enough for me to realise that I should be ringing my wife (who actually had a hairdressing appointment hence why she was not with me for a simple(!) task). Eventually managed to get what I wanted, and leave. Don't know what happened to the person, but I do hope, he was not allowed into the store for giving me the abuse. 

 

(forgot to say, this was the first (and hopefully only time) that I had received this sort of abuse for not wearing a face covering since last year, when we have been required to do so!)

Edited by treker_ed
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Urgh..  @treker_ed : sorry you had to deal with that.

Speaking for myself, I get mildly anxious when people don't wear masks in confined spaces, however, I keep an eye out for behaviour and if someone does all the appropriate things while not wearing them, no problems. 
It makes no sense at all to then go confronting people at all in my opinion.  Misplaced righteousness if you ask me.

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Hi @treker_ed,

 

really sorry to hear that.

Lately, we had some stories here too with people getting aggressive towards people not wearing a facemask. Unfortunately, we have no way (like a lanyard) to tell if a person has hidden health issues which exempt them from wearing them or not. Especially at the beginning of the pandemic we had a lot of troubles with doctors who offered fake exemptions to people who just didn't want to wear a mask because it "restricted their personal freedom".

Coupled with the fact that when called out (e.g. in public transports there are still people showing off their disregard to the rules by simply not wearing a mask), these people often get very aggressive, including physical violence against other passengers and even guards enforcing the rules. So people are quite wary towards anyone without mask right now.

 

The downside is, such ....people really poisoned the atmosphere for anyone who really cannot wear a mask because of an illness. It goes as far that a well known furniture retailer is not letting people in without wearing a mask, regardless if you are legally exempt or not. Sure, their house, their rules but still...

 

Cheers

Markus

 

Edited by Shorty84
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They're morons basically,we had a lockdown from mid Jan with wearing masks was compulsary for two months after that the rules were relaxed slowly until you didn't have to wear masks,i walked into a supermarket and got dirty looks and comments for not wearing a mask and not just me....

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@Shorty84 When I initially read your post, I was reading it on my mobile, and it doesn't show the sidebar information that shows when using a "proper" desktop browser so didn't see your location. Consequently I thought your location was in the USA, so was very shocked to see that this was in Austria!

 

In the UK, legal exemptions were added to the legislation that was introduced about having to wear facemasks in shops, and other defined indoor spaces. Whilst you do not have to provide evidence of your exemption, most people have gone down the path of getting some form of card that they can show, or have on their phone to show if they are challenged when entering a store as to why they are not wearing a face covering. For myself, due to anxiety issues about wearing something across my mouth after a couple of medical procedures that were not very pleasant, Asthma, and also my Autism, I am unable to wear a face covering hence my exemption. I also have a problem with people coming into my personal space uninvited, so social distancing has been a great added bonus over the last 12 months! So not only do I have a card explaining that I have a hidden illness or disability so unable to wear a face covering, but I also have one asking people not to come too close to me! This space one is connected to my autism, which I've always known, but didn't realise it was an autistic trait until quite recently! I have to mentally invite or allow people in to be able to cope, there doesn't have to be an actual "you can come near me now...!" I have learnt several coping mechanisms over the years, and when i need to be able to allow people in my personal space. Otherwise what I do is move if they get too close so I maintain the distancing; hence the start of the problem as described in my earlier post!

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Hi @treker_ed,

 

thanks for explaining your situation. I fully understand how stressful it must be for you if people violate your personal space like this.

 

Legal exemptions are in the legislation here too but if you are not checked by someone (in the supermarket or public transports, ...) no one knows if you are really exempt or if you are just provoking.

Unfortunately, a specific group here is politicizing the topic of wearing a mask and all Covid-restrictions in general and is encouraging their followers to actively breach any rules (enough to say that their reasoning boils down to what one would call conspiracy theories).

 

So people here start to act aggressive towards people which may support such views (and a sign is often that such people refuse to wear a mask or keep distance to others) as they see them as prolonging the restrictions by actively not complying with them. 

 

Cheers

Markus

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9 minutes ago, Vince1159 said:

It's worrying because if for some reason you're exempt from the vaccine what happens....

The only exemption, per se, is that it's voluntary but they appreciate that you may have an allergic reaction to the ingredients within the vaccine. But that would be in your medical record which could be checked. And as the vaccine is only being administered etc by the NHS within the UK, it can easily be verified I would assume. The NHS is running a massive campaign about the safety of the vaccine(s) and trying to counter the hoax and fake stories being spread through non-traditional means (whatsapp etc).

 

Now that there are 3 types of vaccine being offered in the UK, the chances of being allergic to the ingredients of all 3 would be astronomical! But, the anti-vaxxers will always find something to spread false info about them! Me, I've had my first jab, and looking forward to my second in June!

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6 minutes ago, treker_ed said:

The only exemption, per se, is that it's voluntary but they appreciate that you may have an allergic reaction to the ingredients within the vaccine. But that would be in your medical record which could be checked. And as the vaccine is only being administered etc by the NHS within the UK, it can easily be verified I would assume. The NHS is running a massive campaign about the safety of the vaccine(s) and trying to counter the hoax and fake stories being spread through non-traditional means (whatsapp etc).

 

Now that there are 3 types of vaccine being offered in the UK, the chances of being allergic to the ingredients of all 3 would be astronomical! But, the anti-vaxxers will always find something to spread false info about them! Me, I've had my first jab, and looking forward to my second in June!

My point was your exempt from wearing a mask so it stands to reason that some will have the same problem with the vaccine no matter who made it...

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I find it difficult to believe that there still seems to be significant number of people ( and not just in the UK ) who believe that the pandemic is not serious or a conspiracy, surely by now most people will know of someone who has been seriously ill or died of Covid, perhaps they think that all the people who are reported to have died are hidden away in hollowed out mountains. The ' restriction to personal freedom ' argument does not work for me either, yes we all want it but how much  do you have lying in an ICU with a tube down your throat, or dead!

 

John

PS there are cities and towns in France where it is obligatory to wear a mask even out in the open. Our local town is not one of them but it is unusual to see anyone not wearing a mask in the streets, perhaps we've all been brainwashed.

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4 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

I find it difficult to believe that there still seems to be significant number of people ( and not just in the UK ) who believe that the pandemic is not serious or a conspiracy

It's an interesting psychological process. 

I think in some cases it's a (perhaps misguided) feeling of having lost control and looking for an alternative to maintain (the illusion of) control of one's life. 

 

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Hi @Biggles87,

 

well, in some parts it for sure is as @alt-92 says. I think the Prevention paradox also plays a role (the restrictions worked well so that casualties were low. Now people think because casualties were low, the restrictions were not necessary).

But, following the discussions here in Austria for the previous months I feel the bitter truth is that for a part of our society the human loss due to Covid simply doesn't matter. In fact, I'm shocked that there exist people within our society which seem to lack any kind of empathy. Arguments thrown around by them are:

  • Everybody is able to protect himself (masks, distance, ...) so if you get ill/die it is your own fault. Don't expect others to protect you by reducing their social life. If you are anxious, stay at home at all (for years if necessary).
  • Covid is harmless if you are young and have no pre-existing disease (unfortunately, this was propagated at the beginning of the pandemic, and it stuck. Of course this is not true and the Mutants have changed the game as well). So everybody who is, for example, diabetic, overweight, ... has let oneself go and is to be blamed for having a higher chance of getting terminally ill. Again, protect yourself
  • And the most disgusting one: The ones who die were old anyway and this is just natures way to select the strong from the weak.

 

And with this attitude you can see that there are people who will simply not cooperate as this is against their view of the world. I'm just shocked how many people (also some celebrities) share such "Darwinistic" viewpoints and just reinforces my opinion about society and mankind as a whole :(

 

I will stop here as I don't want to violate the "no politics" rule (unfortunately, you simply can't separate it completely). What I've learned though is, that there is a very thin, fragile line between what we call "Civilization" and the Beast within us.

 

Cheers

Markus

 

Edited by Shorty84
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I think you’re right Markus, ‘ society ‘ has been losing out to self interest for some time now, and the way we’re treating our planet is putting mankind as a whole on a slippery slope. I think that eventually nature will turn around and bite mankind on the bum.

Perhaps it already has!

 

John

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4 minutes ago, Shorty84 said:

And with this attitude you can see that there are people who will simply not cooperate as this is against their view of the world. I'm just shocked how many people (also some celebrities) share such "Darwinistic" viewpoints and just reinforces my opinion about society and mankind as a whole :(

Those are the Face-eating Leopard Party* voters :) Everything is fine until they start eating YOUR face. 

 

*No it's not an existing party :D 

 

 

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On 4/19/2021 at 2:38 PM, alt-92 said:

Those are the Face-eating Leopard Party* voters :) Everything is fine until they start eating YOUR face. 

 

*No it's not an existing party :D 

 

 

there is a whole subreddit for that. Reading it sometimes you wonder about the viability of the human race

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9 minutes ago, John_W said:

Our IT department doesn't have a clue.

Need I say anymore?

 

Have they run out of tokens for the token ring network?

Else:

 

7g8juIn.jpg&ehk=vgeqP0rD%2BETu7GM6Sq3qZe

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