News Coronavirus (COVID-19) Discussion Thread IV

[Tas]

They are good questions, especially the ones after the bit I bolded.

About the bit I bolded.... how do we know how this all started.

You can tell with the messaging, who becomes involved with the group, what they want to see is an agitation between the original movement and authorities (or another group). I looked at one site which had video of the "violence" and the protestors had someone or people who were barking out instructions with a megaphone, encouraging them to charge the police line.

The protest isn't peaceful if you charge a police line and who does it serve for it to become violent? The group have been demonised by the media, if this continues to escalate, look out for other prominent messages, look for a pattern of who is actively leading, who they are associated with. The cause can seem benign on the surface, but it is important not to become a sheep. If you are going to join with a group of other people you should be well aware of what it is about. If someone brought out a gun and started firing, would you want to be caught up with that "movement".

When you agitate people, you can become associated with the actions of unhinged people. Mobs are inherently dangerous. How many people who marched on the Whitehouse thought the day would end up like it did.

 

[Forever North]

No doubt these protests and most others nowdays are slowly being hijacked by some of the fringe elements of society as cover for their extreme views. The more they make fools of themselves at these protests the more the mainstream will call them out and see what they’re up to. All it does it ruin it for the people who attend the protests that have genuine concerns and grievances.

 

[Ligma]

No doubt these protests and most others nowdays are slowly being hijacked by some of the fringe elements of society as cover for their extreme views. The more they make fools of themselves at these protests the more the mainstream will call them out and see what they’re up to. All it does it ruin it for the people who attend the protests that have genuine concerns and grievances.

This is what I 100% agree with and been recently trying to say

like there are very disturbing messages in that telegram group.

 

[danj]

Serious question: who posting here has actually caught covid? Not me BTW

 

[hilly]

Serious question: who posting here has actually caught covid? Not me BTW

Not me. We need another 80k posters to obtain a sample size though.

 

[Reagan Smash]

According to Gladys Butterchicken. Everybody in Sydney knows somebody who has corona.
Turn it up

 

[rickety]

Remember that video thing the other day about that mob that rolled through the shopping arcade in France somewhere, then the Police were seen persuading them to desist? Well I asked my mate Mick the French NTTAWWT if it was real and all that, being that he's over there. Well, he finally got back to me, reckoned he hadn't even heard anything about it. Told me Covid was f@cked though.

Fwiw, he's not really gay, he just likes wearing scarves. And he reckons he isn't French, because he's from Brittany. His name is Mick though, reckons he's a pr0n star, but that's another story

 

[7577969923]

I'll agree to disagree

It is not possible to unilaterally agree. Do you have a single data point that supports your view?

 

[B4Bear]

I agree we should shoot all protestors.

Why stop there tho?

All dissent should be punished by death. Its the Australian way.

Bit of hyperbole there Ferbs.

That was a group that went looking for a fight. There is a massive difference to a protest and a riot.

Had that been BLM, imagine the outrage by the right. You attack the police, you get everything you deserve in return, with interest.

 

[gokangas]

567 in Vic today.

 

[shintemaster]

Remember that video thing the other day about that mob that rolled through the shopping arcade in France somewhere, then the Police were seen persuading them to desist? Well I asked my mate Mick the French NTTAWWT if it was real and all that, being that he's over there. Well, he finally got back to me, reckoned he hadn't even heard anything about it. Told me Covid was f@cked though.

Fwiw, he's not really gay, he just likes wearing scarves. And he reckons he isn't French, because he's from Brittany. His name is Mick though, reckons he's a pr0n star, but that's another story

There's quite a bit to unpack in this, I'm going to need some time.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Bit of hyperbole there Ferbs.

That was a group that went looking for a fight. There is a massive difference to a protest and a riot.

Had that been BLM, imagine the outrage by the right. You attack the police, you get everything you deserve in return, with interest.

Most protests are a mix of the well-meaning, intending to just be seen and heard, and those who actively want to engage in a bit of confrontation and at least low level violence. From everything that was reported, the BLM protests here last year seemed a bit of an exception, as they were pretty tightly run given the covid assembly concerns.

Not everyone there is asking to be attacked. And when police tear gas a clearly identified media photographer, it’s a reminder that neither side has a monopoly on overstepping.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Anyway, I’m relieved to have an end to lockdown in sight, especially for my kids, but it is not outweighed by a sense of dread about the toll the thousands of extra cases will have on the healthcare system and on families where it hits. Many of us will tick the hurdles off and gradually restore some normality. But when people have died, they are lost to their loved ones forever.

Hoping as more freedoms arrive enough of us get vaccinated and stay cautious, to help manage the risks for ourselves and mostly for people more vulnerable than us (even if vaccinated) and healthcare workers who will be paying the price.

 

[Caracas]

567 in Vic today.

Fingers crossed that it stabilises around here. I’ve read that the Vic R_eff has dropped from 1.8 to 1.26 in the past week. Hopefully, it drops below one by the end of this week.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[B4Bear]

Woman who wanted to catch Covid-19 now begs for prayers | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site5

I don't even.....

 

[Swallow_Wood]

Woman who wanted to catch Covid-19 now begs for prayers | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site5

I don't even.....

Social media has given idiots a platform and we can see how the Qanon mindset is influencing social media users in relation to covid.

My new favourite are messages where people are posting text stating that questioning is now taboo like they are some social freedom fighters. Perhaps the issue is your idiotic and loaded question has been asked and answered a million ******* times already.

 

[shintemaster]

Social media has given idiots a platform and we can see how the Qanon mindset is influencing social media users in relation to covid.

My new favourite are messages where people are posting text stating that questioning is now taboo like they are some social freedom fighters. Perhaps the issue is your idiotic and loaded question has been asked and answered a million ******* times already.

This is the dilemma of social media. Unfortunately it has exposed some already challenged people to some very manipulative and destructive people. On the other hand the mainstream media - in particular in Murdoch controlled countries due to weakened media ownership laws - has completely absconded and abandoned its duty. There is a lot of extremely well researched information that I've found that never would have seen the light of day without social media and independent press on the internet. It is a double edged sword at times.

 

[koshari]

I reckon it was the 2nd album I owned. After a Patsy Biscoe Christmas Carols one

was my 2nd album as well, after queen greatest hits. patsy biscoe was the wiggles of her time and her cover of puff the magic dragon was epic.

Puff the Magic Dragon by Patsy Biscoe

Album · 2005 · 1 Song

music.apple.com

 

[Ligma]

Social media has given idiots a platform and we can see how the Qanon mindset is influencing social media users in relation to covid.

My new favourite are messages where people are posting text stating that questioning is now taboo like they are some social freedom fighters. Perhaps the issue is your idiotic and loaded question has been asked and answered a million ******* times already.

Especially influencers that have a big platform like the Orvals who spread so much harmful misinformation anti vaxx gibberish, those people deserve to be de platformed.

Abbie Chatfield is constantly spreading constant awareness to stop the spread of medical misinformation by talking with medical professionals. But sadly the idiots are so far down the rabbit hole there is no return.

 

[ferball]

You can tell with the messaging, who becomes involved with the group, what they want to see is an agitation between the original movement and authorities (or another group). I looked at one site which had video of the "violence" and the protestors had someone or people who were barking out instructions with a megaphone, encouraging them to charge the police line.

The protest isn't peaceful if you charge a police line and who does it serve for it to become violent? The group have been demonised by the media, if this continues to escalate, look out for other prominent messages, look for a pattern of who is actively leading, who they are associated with. The cause can seem benign on the surface, but it is important not to become a sheep. If you are going to join with a group of other people you should be well aware of what it is about. If someone brought out a gun and started firing, would you want to be caught up with that "movement".

When you agitate people, you can become associated with the actions of unhinged people. Mobs are inherently dangerous. How many people who marched on the Whitehouse thought the day would end up like it did.

I think alot of thought it would end up differently, with them controlling the Capitol Building and somehow returning Trump to power.

Its actually a good example too. There were people there who had planned that "assault" and directed it. The guys in tactical gear with zip ties for example. Who were those zip ties for? GG's girlfriend? Pelosi?

I dunno how true this is but what I heard about that video we've all seen was this - The cops split the crowd up and kettled that section into an area where they had no where else to go, then one copper came out and told the crowd they would be arrested and that single weak line of police was holding the line. I've been to few protests and riots and its very rare the coppers line is that weak or poorly armed.

Usually they have shields and batons or tongfas.

Usually they have humungous tough bastards from the TRG or whatever they are called these days. (I've heard they used to train by walking up and down the stairs of the remand centre on their hands with a partner holding their legs and they swap after each effort. So they are tough and fit and can go and go and go.)

Have you seen the video of the guy in black going all Jedly on the coppers? He is a bit of weapon. I wonder what his story is.

Even so I doubt he could have got away with that s**t against a line of proper riot squad coppers.

Its obvious that there was insider help/planning at the Jan 6 thing in Washington but I dunno about the other day in Richmond. Its still odd that they thought a single line of poorly armed street cops could hold against a crowd. Especially if it is true that they had just threatened the crowd with mass arrest.

But as I said at the start, I dunno how true or accurate that account is.

I do agree its something we should be watching.

 

[Istanbul Roo]

No doubt these protests and most others nowdays are slowly being hijacked by some of the fringe elements of society as cover for their extreme views. The more they make fools of themselves at these protests the more the mainstream will call them out and see what they’re up to. All it does it ruin it for the people who attend the protests that have genuine concerns and grievances.

What 'genuine concerns and grievances' do people have with a public health emergency lockdown? No-one likes it, everyone would like it to end, but for compelling reasons of care for the whole community, an unwanted lockdown has continued.
People who protest it for whatever reasons are fine by me, but please don't tell me that some of them have 'genuine grievances.' I can't think of a single reason for protesting a lockdown that hurts nearly everyone in some way, but is done literally for the common good.
Would you like a 'no-lockdown pandemic'?

 

[ferball]

Bit of hyperbole there Ferbs.

That was a group that went looking for a fight. There is a massive difference to a protest and a riot.

Had that been BLM, imagine the outrage by the right. You attack the police, you get everything you deserve in return, with interest.

We've seen a tiny bit of video with no context.

BTW I was responding to someone who actually suggested shooting or at least tear gassing the protesters without any irony that I could see.

The cops fly around my part of the world in choppers, make roadblocks and walk around in camo gear armed and intimidating the local populace and stealing their pot. One year in Nimbin they sent 100 riot coppers into the town with 20 or 30 vehicles and they made real campaigners of themselves. They beat up a disabled Vietnam Vet in a mobility device at one point. People were on the phones organising and at one point it looked like they wouldn't be leaving town because both ends of town were gonna be blocked by vehicles and hundreds of people were coming from up to 100km away. They must have got wind of it and pissed off.

That was for a raid of two buildings, supposedly with 50kg of pot and networks of dealers etc etc. They busted two people and found less than 4kg of weed and not because people knew they were coming, it was a typical establishment over reaction. But they ****ed over plenty of people, stuff was stolen or damaged and people were attacked for no reason.

Lots of people have reasonable grievances with the police and no recourse to legal remedies. They'll attack them if they get the opportunity.

The other day the Vic government must have spent a million dollars on shutting down the CBD then shipping the cops to Richmond. If they had let them have their protest and stayed out of the way the whole thing would be over. By definition they'd have had the freedom they were protesting about losing and they'd have no justification or need to do it again.

Now its a cause for some people.

 

[Swallow_Wood]

This is the dilemma of social media. Unfortunately it has exposed some already challenged people to some very manipulative and destructive people. On the other hand the mainstream media - in particular in Murdoch controlled countries due to weakened media ownership laws - has completely absconded and abandoned its duty. There is a lot of extremely well researched information that I've found that never would have seen the light of day without social media and independent press on the internet. It is a double edged sword at times.

Unfortunately the consequence of a society hooked on bite sized, ready to consume information, tailored to our specific psychological traits is that people don't care to do the research, just to feed that dopamine trigger from online interaction. So whilst I agree that the internets is an amazing tool, when it comes to informing a passively addicted audience the balance is so badly skewed toward conflict and outrage that it has become a serious problem for our society moving forward. Tis ****ed up.

 

[Swallow_Wood]

Especially influencers that have a big platform like the Orvals who spread so much harmful misinformation anti vaxx gibberish, those people deserve to be de platformed.

Abbie Chatfield is constantly spreading constant awareness to stop the spread of medical misinformation by talking with medical professionals. But sadly the idiots are so far down the rabbit hole there is no return.

Phenomena like influencers are a sad reflection on our society as a whole. The vast majority are vacuous, pointless, soul sucking narcissists. The rare good ones stand no chance against the veritable ocean of mindless *******s out there.

 

[B4Bear]

We've seen a tiny bit of video with no context.

BTW I was responding to someone who actually suggested shooting or at least tear gassing the protesters without any irony that I could see.

The cops fly around my part of the world in choppers, make roadblocks and walk around in camo gear armed and intimidating the local populace and stealing their pot. One year in Nimbin they sent 100 riot coppers into the town with 20 or 30 vehicles and they made real campaigners of themselves. They beat up a disabled Vietnam Vet in a mobility device at one point. People were on the phones organising and at one point it looked like they wouldn't be leaving town because both ends of town were gonna be blocked by vehicles and hundreds of people were coming from up to 100km away. They must have got wind of it and pissed off.

That was for a raid of two buildings, supposedly with 50kg of pot and networks of dealers etc etc. They busted two people and found less than 4kg of weed and not because people knew they were coming, it was a typical establishment over reaction. But they f’ed over plenty of people, stuff was stolen or damaged and people were attacked for no reason.

Lots of people have reasonable grievances with the police and no recourse to legal remedies. They'll attack them if they get the opportunity.

The other day the Vic government must have spent a million dollars on shutting down the CBD then shipping the cops to Richmond. If they had let them have their protest and stayed out of the way the whole thing would be over. By definition they'd have had the freedom they were protesting about losing and they'd have no justification or need to do it again.

Now its a cause for some people.

That is a whole different kettle of fish than what occurred in this instance only. Now if you disagree with the premise that the CHO gets to decide on lockdown, then get the law changed.

Instead we have police that are in hospital because people decided to ignore the laws that don't suit them.

Their actions are totally indefensible in my book. This being 'pre-emptive' is just crap, and can be used to literally justify anything you want.