Spring Banter

[weathafella]

Just now, Damage In Tolland said:

I am referring to this idea that the government is going to mandate vaccine passports. Whether it’s the govt, sports teams, airlines ... whomever. It is a socialist concept . This is a free country. No one should be forced to prove they had Covid vaccine or be shunned if they chose not to . This is not communist China or Cuba.

You realize that a free country allows private businesses to set their own rules right? 

[powderfreak]

1 minute ago, Brian5671 said:

I wonder if hot food/soup buffets will ever come back in supermarkets...granted it's been shown that COVID spread from surfaces is very low, but I wonder how many people would be willing to scoop a thing of potato salad into a plastic cup with a lid now?

I could've sworn I saw this yesterday in Hannafords up here.  They have their supermarket buffet thingy's and salad bars all set up. Chicken wings, Olive bar. Etc.

[powderfreak]

1 minute ago, weathafella said:

You realize that a free country allows private businesses to set their own rules right? 

Yeah if they want you to shop with your right hand on your head the entire time you are in a store... or wear a red shirt to fly on a plane, the business can choose to do that.  And the consumer can take their dollars elsewhere too.  Vote with your wallet.

[Damage In Tolland]

Just now, weathafella said:

You realize that a free country allows private businesses to set their own rules right? 

Yes , but that’s not what is being discussed . It’s a political discussion that I will just walk away from .  Back to Stein discussion 

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

6 minutes ago, mreaves said:

Do you actually know what the definition of socialism is?  I would think that private companies, deciding on their own, what type of rules they want to implement is actually at the very heart of capitalism and free enterprise.

He doesn’t...he just regurgitates what he hears on faux entertainment as tucker carlson tucks him into bed at night.

[dryslot]

Just now, powderfreak said:

I could've sworn I saw this yesterday in Hannafords up here.  They have their supermarket buffet thingy's and salad bars all set up. Chicken wings, Olive bar. Etc.

They have it here but there all in prepacked containers, Not just open buffet with tongs to pick your own.

[TalcottWx]

1 hour ago, Brian5671 said:

you're educated.  Alot of America is not....

There's a direct correlation to population w/ college degrees and voting Democrat for a reason. Blue isn't perfect, but it's better, for everyone. 

[weathafella]

Just now, powderfreak said:

I could've sworn I saw this yesterday in Hannafords up here.  They have their supermarket buffet thingy's and salad bars all set up. Chicken wings, Olive bar. Etc.

I wonder if you were at the Hannaford my wife was at near Burlington?   City Market is way over priced per her comment to me.  I doubt those buffets come back.   Kind of like the free samples from Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s....

[snowman21]

Just now, Damage In Tolland said:

I am referring to this idea that the government is going to mandate vaccine passports. Whether it’s the govt, sports teams, airlines ... whomever. It is a socialist concept . This is a free country. No one should be forced to prove they had Covid vaccine or be shunned if they chose not to . This is not communist China or Cuba.

The federal government isn't going to do anything like that, and state governments can already require proof of vaccinations for things like enrolling your kids into public schools, so the precedent for the government doing that is already there. A company requiring a vaccine probably wouldn't be great business, but it is their choice. That's called freedom.

[Brian5671]

Just now, dryslot said:

They have it here but there all in prepacked containers, Not just open buffet with tongs to pick your own.

they have that here too...but doesn't look like many people pick them up for some reason....

[powderfreak]

4 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

I am referring to this idea that the government is going to mandate vaccine passports. Whether it’s the govt, sports teams, airlines ... whomever. It is a socialist concept . This is a free country. No one should be forced to prove they had Covid vaccine or be shunned if they chose not to . This is not communist China or Cuba.

One of those things is not like the others.  I agree the Gov't shouldn't mandate vaccine at all.  Free choice.  But if an airline wants to do it, you can choose to take your dollars elsewhere.  Those three things are not the same.

[PhineasC]

Just now, powderfreak said:

Yeah if they want you to shop with your right hand on your head the entire time you are in a store... or wear a red shirt to fly on a plane, the business can choose to do that.  And the consumer can take their dollars elsewhere too.  Vote with your wallet.

The problem arises with "private businesses" such as airlines, utilities, and media platforms for which the barrier to entry for competition is very steep and the government does very little to regulate, break-up monopolies, and lower barriers to entry. In fact, the government more often now protects these large businesses from competition and props them up with taxpayer dollars. It's basically the worst parts of socialism and capitalism out there right now.

For small stores and the local hotdog truck, your point is totally valid.

[powderfreak]

1 minute ago, weathafella said:

I wonder if you were at the Hannaford my wife was at near Burlington?   City Market is way over priced per her comment to me.  I doubt those buffets come back.   Kind of like the free samples from Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s....

Ha it was in Morrisville.  It might have been prepackaged but I could've sworn it wasn't.  You definitely could use tongs to pick the number of chicken wings you wanted, I remember seeing that.

[TalcottWx]

41 minutes ago, ORH_wxman said:

Around here it's prob like 1 out of 3 outside walking I see with masks on (I'm not counting parking lots where people are entering and exiting buildings....I'm referring to people walking their dog or jogging, etc)

 

I am constantly around people right now. Mostly south shore. City. And belt down to Foxboro. Seeing someone in close proximity without a mask is a shock. It's amazing too. People seem to breathe and live just fine with them on. Almost like it's not a big deal. Just like vaccinating kids is not a big deal. People want to talk about fear mongoring.... But then do the same over the vaccine. Please. 

[PhineasC]

2 minutes ago, snowman21 said:

The federal government isn't going to do anything like that, and state governments can already require proof of vaccinations for things like enrolling your kids into public schools, so the precedent for the government doing that is already there. A company requiring a vaccine probably wouldn't be great business, but it is their choice. That's called freedom.

Many businesses will mandate these things because they have zero liability protection from frivolous COVID claims now... thanks to the government, in large part.

[TalcottWx]

5 minutes ago, weathafella said:

You realize that a free country allows private businesses to set their own rules right? 

[weathafella]

2 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

Yes , but that’s not what is being discussed . It’s a political discussion that I will just walk away from .  Back to Stein discussion 

I think the essence of this country works against mass rules n certain things.   I thnk that’s why you’ll not see govt enforcement of so called covid passports.   But anyone traveling and requiring a passport will certainly carry verification of vaccination with them if they have it.   Most countries are too locked down to travel to.   It’s a good thing we have AK r traveling to snow might be tough in the future!

[dryslot]

Just now, Brian5671 said:

they have that here too...but doesn't look like many people pick them up for some reason....

I use to pick up the salt n vinegar wings for football from the buffet there (which are excellent) but you had to get there early or they would be out , Now i just call the order in and they get it ready and pkg'd to the qty i order.

[PhineasC]

1 minute ago, DotRat_Wx said:

I am constantly around people right now. Mostly south shore. City. And belt down to Foxboro. Seeing someone in close proximity without a mask is a shock. It's amazing too. People seem to breathe and live just fine with them on. Almost like it's not a big deal. Just like vaccinating kids is not a big deal. People want to talk about fear mongoring.... But then do the same over the vaccine. Please. 

Seeing people without masks shocks and amazes you now?

Yeah, not taking advice on vaccinating my kids from you any time soon. Sorry.

[powderfreak]

Just now, PhineasC said:

The problem arises with "private businesses" such as airlines, utilities, and media platforms for which the barrier to entry for competition is very steep and the government does very little to regulate, break-up monopolies, and lower barriers to entry. In fact, the government more often now protects these large businesses from competition and props them up with taxpayer dollars. It's basically the worst parts of socialism and capitalism out there right now.

For small stores and the local hotdog truck, your point is totally valid.

For sure, if all airlines go the same route then yes someone might have a problem.  I'm not sure how you solve that, is it someone's right to fly?  But if JetBlue makes you show a vaccine but Delta does not, you have a choice there. 

I think there would certainly be some big lawsuits there trying to get anti-vaccination group into a protected class that can't be discriminated against.

[WhitinsvilleWX]

12 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

  Back to Stein discussion 

Stein, Stein, everywhere is Stein.

I head to the Natick Mall in about an hour to get my second jab. 

[PhineasC]

12 minutes ago, powderfreak said:

For sure, if all airlines go the same route then yes someone might have a problem.  I'm not sure how you solve that, is it someone's right to fly?  But if JetBlue makes you show a vaccine but Delta does not, you have a choice there. 

I think there would certainly be some big lawsuits there trying to get anti-vaccination group into a protected class that can't be discriminated against.

It's really weird to me how quickly some folks have switched to arguing that big businesses need to always have the right to discriminate as they see fit and if the little guy doesn't like it, tough shit! My head has been spinning watching this transformation take place in basically a little over a year.

[TalcottWx]

1 minute ago, PhineasC said:

Seeing people without masks shocks and amazes you now?

Yeah, not taking advice on vaccinating my kids from you any time soon. Sorry.

1. Yes. I believe in science. If people aren't wearing masks in close proximity they are usually obnoxious assholes. If you don't at least wear a mask close to someone else, you're disrespectful. 

2. I can't advise your kids to do anything. You have the choice to do whatever you want as a parent. I would follow CDC guidance and vaccinate them with Pfizer or Moderna and skip the classic vaccine types. They have been highly effective and haven't caused issues with people. Yes, children are new, but when anyone is eligible, I would follow guidance to get them vaccinated. I'm not a scientist and nether are you, so I follow what I'm told by thousands of doctors around the world. I mean, what else can we do. 

[powderfreak]

27 minutes ago, PhineasC said:

Did you know that there are many new laws and statutes on the books in states because of COVID? None of them have been fully tested in court so there is no precedence to say how they will be enforced. Many of those stimulus bills passed at the Federal and state levels were chock full of new laws and regulations like this. People, businesses, and the govt now have very broad power to do whatever they want in the name of "furthering public health and safety."

Here is one Stowe should look out for that we dealt with: if someone is removed from your place of business for whatever reason, they can later claim that they were removed from the premises because they raised a concern over other coworkers or patrons not wearing masks correctly, and that person can receive "whistleblower" protections and any action taken against them can be considered retaliation against a whistleblower. Not wearing a mask properly can be considered a "criminal act" that a person has a duty to blow the whistle on. They do not need to get COVID or even be at risk themselves at all.

This is basically the modern version of slipping on a banana peel and claiming an injury settlement, except there is no case law to cap damages and insurance policies do not cover COVID claims yet (perhaps never).

Oh the ski areas definitely dealt with this. I think the state was called daily with claims that ski areas weren't doing enough to enforce travel quarantines, social distancing in lift lines, mask wearing in lift lines, etc.  The state sent people quite a bit to ski areas to check procedures.  But yeah I don't know if I've heard of anyone claiming they were retaliated against for it. 

I do see where you are going with that... so you fire an employee for performance and then they try to double back on you that it was retaliation for them saying you aren't doing enough to protect them from COVID exposure?  Similar to like if someone gets let go and then later claims they brought up sexual harassment concerns and were fired for it?  

[WhitinsvilleWX]

Just now, powderfreak said:

. so you fire an employee for performance and then they try to double back on you that it was retaliation 

Oh people will do that for anything. I've seen it more than once

[ORH_wxman]

9 minutes ago, DotRat_Wx said:

I am constantly around people right now. Mostly south shore. City. And belt down to Foxboro. Seeing someone in close proximity without a mask is a shock. It's amazing too. People seem to breathe and live just fine with them on. Almost like it's not a big deal. Just like vaccinating kids is not a big deal. People want to talk about fear mongoring.... But then do the same over the vaccine. Please. 

It's even weirder to me to see people with masks on outside who I know have been vaccinated. That's a double whammy...it already has an extremely hard time spreading outdoors, but now you are also vaccinated and STILL wear one outside? Bizarre. But to each their own.

I'll carry one on me outside just in case I end up in some random group of people all within a couple feet of eachother (unlikely). But I mostly do it out of courtesy these days. Not out of fear of catching it or spreading it. I've been vaccinated for over 6 weeks now.

[TalcottWx]

Just now, ORH_wxman said:

It's even weirder to me to see people with masks on outside who I know have been vaccinated. That's a double whammy...it already has an extremely hard time spreading outdoors, but now you are also vaccinated and STILL wear one outside? Bizarre. But to each their own.

I'll carry one on me outside just in case I end up in some random group of people all within a couple feet of eachother (unlikely). But I mostly do it out of courtesy these days. Not out of fear of catching it or spreading it. I've been vaccinated for over 6 weeks now.

I'm in your boat. It's like passing an std test and the girl still makes you wear a condom just to be safe. Whatever gets the pleasure 

[powderfreak]

Just now, WhitinsvilleWX said:

Oh people will do that for anything. I've seen it more than once

Yeah for sure.  People are bitter when they get fired.  They pull that with all sorts of topics.  

[dryslot]

Wearing a mask walking outside without a crowd or in a vehicle all alone is a little over the top.

[PhineasC]

8 minutes ago, DotRat_Wx said:

1. Yes. I believe in science. If people aren't wearing masks in close proximity they are usually obnoxious assholes. If you don't at least wear a mask close to someone else, you're disrespectful. 

2. I can't advise your kids to do anything. You have the choice to do whatever you want as a parent. I would follow CDC guidance and vaccinate them with Pfizer or Moderna and skip the classic vaccine types. They have been highly effective and haven't caused issues with people. Yes, children are new, but when anyone is eligible, I would follow guidance to get them vaccinated. I'm not a scientist and nether are you, so I follow what I'm told by thousands of doctors around the world. I mean, what else can we do. 

LOL

Don't ever change, man. I love it.