Downtown Khazan: Ice Cold Utopia

[Crunkula]

And to think that in 2016 many in the US were half-joking about running off to live in Canada to escape the impending Far Right Apocalypse. Now it seems that Canada isn't doing so well in this area either. It's like a Plague of Idiots, spreading faster than COVID.

A plague we have not one, not two, but three vaccines to innoculate against it.

And treatment.

And anti-body treatment.

Anyone claiming that this is still a pandemic should be ignored outright, and any government body still using Covid to hold on to these useless restrictions deserves an electoral ass-kicking of the harshest order.

[Len Ikari145]

Yet those cases are reportedly climbing exponentially by the day by our own WHO, especially with the Omicron variant that's killed 90 million in South Africa alone. Also, almost 30 percent of the country refuses to get vaccinated or take preventative measures such as washing your hands, limiting physical contact, wearing masks, etc. because politicians are convincing them that this is a violation of rights or a matter of political discourse or whatever inane conspiracy they can fabricate that feeds upon people's most base emotions instead of, y'know, trying to contain a highly deadly and virulent disease that's killing us by hundred of thousands. But sure, it's clearly no more dangerous than the flu now.

[Nik Hasta]

While I don't disagree with the broad thrust of your argument Len, this:

especially with the Omicron variant that's killed 90 million in South Africa alone.

Is flatly not true. SA only has a population of 60 million people and has had ~95,000 deaths to date. Africa as a entire continent has had 241,000 deaths so far.

The pandemic is an ongoing issue, especially with the global north refusing to help properly vaccinate the global south, but do try not to spread obviously untrue stuff.

For a decent, if fairly long, video on where we are at the moment, I would recommend this recent one from Some More News.

[Len Ikari145]

While I don't disagree with the broad thrust of your argument Len, this:



Is flatly not true. SA only has a population of 60 million people and has had ~95,000 deaths to date. Africa as a entire continent has had 241,000 deaths so far.

The pandemic is an ongoing issue, especially with the global north refusing to help properly vaccinate the global south, but do try not to spread obviously untrue stuff.

For a decent, if fairly long, video on where we are at the moment, I would recommend this recent one from Some More News.

My bad, I honestly misread the death toll rate of Omicron in relation to South Africa. Thanks for the correction.

[Postmania]

Whether it's declared a pandemic or not the failings of the healthcare system in the US will be increased nonetheless. Making it another background statistic just adds to the bill where you pile along the effects and deaths of overprocessed overstimulus-ed junk food/failing water infrastructure/environmental racism/Big Pharma fuckery. And that ****, unfortunately, was endemic long before 2020 and won't be solved by ignoring it or any other aspect of it.

However, I'm sure the US will keep making the wrong choice in enough numbers to prevent things from going well so

[Sharpandpointies]

Whether it's declared a pandemic or not the failings of the healthcare system in the US will be increased nonetheless. Making it another background statistic just adds to the bill where you pile along the effects and deaths of overprocessed overstimulus-ed junk food/failing water infrastructure/environmental racism/Big Pharma fuckery. And that ****, unfortunately, was endemic long before 2020 and won't be solved by ignoring it or any other aspect of it.

However, I'm sure the US will keep making the wrong choice in enough numbers to prevent things from going well so

Wish we had a line button.

Canada trundling along right behind you guys. They’re talking about repealing all mandates (including masks, even).

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

It's worth noting, too, that even with the vaccine, and boosters, you can still catch Omicron (I know I certainly did, despite wearing a mask, and gloves on top of the three jabs); the vaccinated are just potentially less likely to continue to spread.

[Sharpandpointies]

It's worth noting, too, that even with the vaccine, and boosters, you can still catch Omicron (I know I certainly did, despite wearing a mask, and gloves on top of the three jabs); the vaccinated are just potentially less likely to continue to spread.

Yes. And less likely (by a chunk) to have a serious version of the illness, resulting in hospital time or worse.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Yes. And less likely (by a chunk) to have a serious version of the illness, resulting in hospital time or worse.

And even with a mild case, it's pretty physically debilitating. I'm two weeks clear of having it, and I'm still not 80% and that's with Pfizer+Booster.

[Sharpandpointies]

And even with a mild case, it's pretty physically debilitating. I'm two weeks clear of having it, and I'm still not 80% and that's with Pfizer+Booster.

Dude, I hope you don't have the Long Covid.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Dude, I hope you don't have the Long Covid.

My favorite joke about Long Covid currently is "won't know til I get there".

... all the more reason for people to do the bare minimum and mask up. If you're too inconsiderate to get the vaccine, anyway.

[Iron_Twister]

Ugh, work and being somewhat coming down with a cold is weighing down my abilities to do much. So did a recheck of every single OC I've done that's a parent and see which one kinda sucked.

...I'm that bored.

And fun enough, only one is honestly considered pretty awful in the sense he had a mental breakdown, leaves his infant daughter to her grandfather, and then proceeds to become a master martial artist who lives in the mountains whose only friend is a tiger. Honestly could've been worse, as I compared him once to Heihachi Mishima, but Heihachi is badddddd when it comes to the fatherhood department.

[Sharpandpointies]

My favorite joke about Long Covid currently is "won't know til I get there".

Ugh. Well, here's hoping. Again.

... all the more reason for people to do the bare minimum and mask up. If you're too inconsiderate to get the vaccine, anyway.

Zero plans to stop masking, even if the mandates (stupidly) disappear. Granted, going to need to be careful because we now have jackasses hassling people wearing masks, but c'est la vie.

Ugh, work and being somewhat coming down with a cold is weighing down my abilities to do much.

Yeesh, sorry to hear, man.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Ugh. Well, here's hoping. Again.

Well, my sense of smell and taste is recovering.

Only long-term (I mean three weeks isn't particularly long term), I'm dealing with is chronic fatigue, and what I'm calling "pseudo-asthma". Essentially if I over extert (which is easier now than it was) I devolve into coughing/sputtering until I get my breath back.

... and yea, I've tested negative twice since my quarantine was up.

Zero plans to stop masking, even if the mandates (stupidly) disappear. Granted, going to need to be careful because we now have jackasses hassling people wearing masks, but c'est la vie.

Yea... at the very least the harassment is consistent across the board. Been getting snide remarks and "how dare your employer require you to wear a mask" since Summer of 2020.

But... you know. Got it from a coworker (I work with them directly) who didn't get vaccinated, came to work before their symptoms escalated and didn't tell anyone, and refused to wear a mask. So...

[Nik Hasta]

Demon Slayer Season 2 Episode 10 might be the best animated single episode of an anime that I've ever seen.

Like Ufotable have had exceptional production values since the beginning but that episode really felt like they raised their game.

Absolutely outstanding work.