Only in America...

[moXJO]

You only have to go to New Zealand, to realise the difference. The wife and I never stopped saying, "you wouldn't be able to this in Australia", "they would have to have a guard rail here, if it was in Australia". The differences were quite marked and in France, Spain etc it is more so.

Lawsuits ruined it all I suppose.

 

[bellenuit]

Try living in Germany and you will see what restrictions are like. Things like having to report and register with your local police stations every time you move your place of residence. The most frequent signs you see usually have the word verboten in there somewhere.

 

[basilio]

Australia like the rest of the world is faced with a pandemic that initially had no effective treatment or vaccination. It was killing hundreds of thousands of people across Europe, US and the rest of the world .

Australia listened to Medical advice. In the case of dealing with a serious infectious disease that kills people and has no preventable vaccine the only solution is quarantine. Difficult, harsh and certainly curtails peoples freedom to move and trade. But it works and largely worked for Australia

In comparison the US under Trump denied the danger of COVI and undermined efforts to quarantine the community. There infections and death rates are 15 times Australia per capita - and still climbing. That's the price being paid for freedom.

And the right wing commentators call this effective protection of the community tyranny. Here we call it "over regulation". This is just another right wing smokescreen to undermine any and every law that could impinge on their freedom to make a buck.

Cigarette advertising, pollution regulations, clean water, clean food, safe building, safe cars, safe medication, false advertising.

Historically governments have had real problems dealing with epidemics. How do they control movement ? What legal ways are there in an emergency to stop infected people from spreading disease and killing hundreds/thousands of people. That's why Infectious Diseases Acts have been developed by all Governments. Infectious diseases are politically neutral.



,

 

[IFocus]

We are one of the most regulated and restricted nations in the world. And that was before coronavirus.

Yeah nah, US has one of the highest incardination rates in the western world miles above us, try Jay walking in the US.

 

[wayneL]

Yeah nah, US has one of the highest incardination rates in the western world miles above us, try Jay walking in the US.

Kind of two different things really.

 

[basilio]

As usual The Shovel says it all.



America – please help liberate Australia. Donate now!

Dear American friends,

You may have seen your fellow Americans on Fox News calling for Australia to be liberated from our tyrannical nightmare. Now we’re asking for your help too.

Trapped in an oppressive regime of free healthcare, low gun crime, brutally beautiful weather and suffocating open space, we have nowhere else to turn.

We are suffering. Our minimum wages, like our vaccination rates, are ominously high. Our standard of living sits dangerously amongst the highest in the world. Our schools lack even the most basic metal detectors.

This cannot go on

America – please help liberate Australia. Donate now!

Just $100 can buy us a nice brunch for four at our local café

www.theshovel.com.au

 

[moXJO]

Yeah nah, US has one of the highest incardination rates in the western world miles above us, try Jay walking in the US.

Been all over the US. Can do a lot.
We on the other hand have a rule, tax or restriction for everything.

And jay walking is a thing here. Cops will fine you in Sydney.


We are well known for being an over regulated dumbsville. So many idiots that we needed to write a regulation over everything.

 

[moXJO]

As usual The Shovel says it all.



America – please help liberate Australia. Donate now!



View attachment 131900
Dear American friends,

You may have seen your fellow Americans on Fox News calling for Australia to be liberated from our tyrannical nightmare. Now we’re asking for your help too.

Trapped in an oppressive regime of free healthcare, low gun crime, brutally beautiful weather and suffocating open space, we have nowhere else to turn.

We are suffering. Our minimum wages, like our vaccination rates, are ominously high. Our standard of living sits dangerously amongst the highest in the world. Our schools lack even the most basic metal detectors.

This cannot go on

America – please help liberate Australia. Donate now!

Just $100 can buy us a nice brunch for four at our local café

www.theshovel.com.au

We basically spent a year locked up "for our safety". The Shovel is well named as their satire is a heap of sht.

 

[basilio]

We basically spent a year locked up "for our safety". The Shovel is well named as their satire is a heap of sht.

Indeed. Well there are plenty of examples of countries which didn't take such a health directed approach to dealing with the COVID pandemic. Clearly plenty of evidence to show how much better/worse their outcomes have been.

 

[moXJO]

Indeed. Well there are plenty of examples of countries which didn't take such a health directed approach to dealing with the COVID pandemic. Clearly plenty of evidence to show how much better/worse their outcomes have been.

We are following a lot of stuff that isn't even science based. It's ludicrous.

 

[basilio]

We are following a lot of stuff that isn't even science based. It's ludicrous.

So you reckon the lock downs aren't "science based" and not locking down and having a more business friendly approach to dealing with COVID would have been just as good ?

Or is this simply a diversion to lesser associated issues (ie mask mandates) intended to undermine the overall approach ?

 

[basilio]

A Black former firefighter is suing a Florida city after it put up a mural depicting her as a white person​

Latosha Clemons. WPTV News/YouTube

• Latosha Clemons, the first Black female firefighter in Boynton Beach, Florida, retired in 2020.
• The city erected a mural with her likeness, but it showed her with a white face.
• In April she filed a defamation suit against the city, which is set to vote on an $80,000 payout.

A Black former firefighter is suing a Florida city after it put up a mural depicting her as a white person

Latosha Clemons, who served as Boynton Beach's deputy fire chief, sued the city this April. The city is set to vote next week on an $80,000 payout.

www.insider.com

 

[moXJO]

So you reckon the lock downs aren't "science based" and not locking down and having a more business friendly approach to dealing with COVID would have been just as good ?

Or is this simply a diversion to lesser associated issues (ie mask mandates) intended to undermine the overall approach ?

Masks outdoors, kids taken out of schools, pretty much anything coming out of Victoria.
Of course lockdowns work. You are basically isolating people away from society. I'm saying it was over the top. And was blown out of proportion by the media. Majority of policies were based on nothing.

Look at the way everyone praised Dan Andrews and his "go hard, go early" approach. While claiming NSW was going to suffer. Nsw seemed to do better with less restrictions.

Look at the blow up over AstraZeneca. Media and various pollies/health officials all sprouting bs to target the PM. All those people who turned AstraZeneca political should shoulder some of the death rate.

 

[basilio]

Masks outdoors, kids taken out of schools, pretty much anything coming out of Victoria.
Of course lockdowns work. You are basically isolating people away from society. I'm saying it was over the top. And was blown out of proportion by the media. Majority of policies were based on nothing.

Look at the way everyone praised Dan Andrews and his "go hard, go early" approach. While claiming NSW was going to suffer. Nsw seemed to do better with less restrictions.

Look at the blow up over AstraZeneca. Media and various pollies/health officials all sprouting bs to target the PM. All those people who turned AstraZeneca political should shoulder some of the death rate.

Again that's your opinion.
The most critical issue in containing COVID was early determined efforts to stop the infection from getting away. It was well proven across Australia that the virus would spread very quickly unless there was an immediate decision to stop people moving around and interacting.

Schools as central parts of a mingling community had to be part of this lockdown. Otherwise it would be meaningless. So don't bother trying to say that schools should somehow have been exempted.

Masks outdoors ? Yeah you could argue that was going a bit far. But I think it did have a role in showing that people were doing their bit to reduce the chance of infection. Frankly I think the people who were complaining the most about the masks, the children at school were those who didn't take the issue seriously and were doing all they could to undermine the health recommendations.

The Astra Zennica blow up was a shame. The blood clots were real. At the time it did make sense to think that younger people could wait for a new vaccine. But when the Delta variant came out it became crystal clear that the dangers from COVID infection to all people outweighed the very small (but real ) risk of blood clots.

The COVID situation was totally new. Trying to determine and then implement a "best" response was always going to be best estimate stuff. It was also going to be refined as the practical challenges became clear.

What didn't help the situation was the stories of "COVID fraud", "that it was just a flu" "that there were cures"- that was not true, that the vaccines were "unnecessary, dangerous, a way to control the population". It is all these factors that have made an appropriate medical response very difficult.

And just to go back to where this started. For all it's difficulties Australia has managed to control COVID far, far better than most other countries. And a large part of that management was effective lockdowns. To have various Right wing US commentators/politicians trash us as living under the tyranny of lockdowns is just poisonous rubbish.

 

[basilio]

Just a teensy bit OTT .

US police officer dismissed after shooting alleged shoplifter in wheelchair nine times, killing him​

Key points:​

• Richard Lee Richards, 61, was accused of stealing a toolbox from a Walmart supermarket
• Off-duty police officer Ryan Remington was working as a security guard at the time
• Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said he was "deeply disturbed" by the shooting

US police officer fired after fatally shooting man in wheelchair

Bodycam footage captures the moment an off-duty officer opens fire on a man in a motorised wheelchair who allegedly stole a toolbox from a supermarket.

www.abc.net.au

 

[basilio]

Republican Thomas Massie looking for ammo for Christmas guns.​

Be prepared.

....Massie, who represents a solidly Republican district, posted the picture of himself and six others holding firearms resembling machine guns and semi-automatic weaponry, some of which are made to look almost identical to fully automatic weapons.

Under US law, weapons such as machine guns are restricted to the military, law enforcement and civilians who have obtained special licenses for weapons made before May 1986.

Republican Thomas Massie condemned for Christmas guns photo

Congressman causes outrage by posting ‘insensitive’ tweet just days after Michigan school shooting

www.theguardian.com

 

[MovingAverage]

Republican Thomas Massie looking for ammo for Christmas guns.​

Be prepared.

View attachment 133831


....Massie, who represents a solidly Republican district, posted the picture of himself and six others holding firearms resembling machine guns and semi-automatic weaponry, some of which are made to look almost identical to fully automatic weapons.

Under US law, weapons such as machine guns are restricted to the military, law enforcement and civilians who have obtained special licenses for weapons made before May 1986.

Republican Thomas Massie condemned for Christmas guns photo

Congressman causes outrage by posting ‘insensitive’ tweet just days after Michigan school shooting

www.theguardian.com

F'ing morons....complete and utter morons

 

[IFocus]

Republican Thomas Massie looking for ammo for Christmas guns.​

Be prepared.

View attachment 133831


....Massie, who represents a solidly Republican district, posted the picture of himself and six others holding firearms resembling machine guns and semi-automatic weaponry, some of which are made to look almost identical to fully automatic weapons.

Under US law, weapons such as machine guns are restricted to the military, law enforcement and civilians who have obtained special licenses for weapons made before May 1986.

Republican Thomas Massie condemned for Christmas guns photo

Congressman causes outrage by posting ‘insensitive’ tweet just days after Michigan school shooting

www.theguardian.com

Freedom fighters...

 

[sptrawler]

A 30% increase in murders in the U.S, wonder if the defunding of the police has contributed.

In largest recorded increase, US homicides surge during pandemic

Experts say that homicides have rapidly risen during the COVID-19 pandemic due to a unique set of circumstances.

www.smh.com.au

 

[IFocus]

A 30% increase in murders in the U.S, wonder if the defunding of the police has contributed.

In largest recorded increase, US homicides surge during pandemic

Experts say that homicides have rapidly risen during the COVID-19 pandemic due to a unique set of circumstances.

www.smh.com.au

"while property crimes continued a nearly two-decade decline, falling 7.8 per cent. Robbery and rape dropped 9.3 per cent and 12 per cent respectively."

Gun culture more likely, still cops turn up after the crime rather than before it, and did anyone actually defund police forces?