Posts by Nicholas King

You’ll probably have to take that question straight to the Secretary.

Joseph Taylor11 said:Police departments—or just local precincts?

Because if I recall correctly, my suggestion was to limit movement based on individual precincts.

It’s funny seeing journalists just recycling questions straight from the forums... though I guess there's nothing wrong with that. 😉😁

Police Departments. If we talked about individual precincts in every single city, it would be an absolute circus.

The real point here is the sheer absurdity of granting "restrictions" to more than half a million people.

So, here we go—the Secretary is claiming they’ve already issued nearly half a million passes, and he’s hinting at a massive surge coming soon since companies haven't even started sending in their group requests yet. Apparently, he thinks the whole pass system has been an absolute success and totally justified its existence.

He completely dodged the actual issue regarding restricting movement to specific police jurisdictions instead of just sticking to municipal boundaries.

It isn't quite that straightforward, I suppose.

Aside from the points my colleague already brought up—the amendment to the law still doesn't grant the Headquarters the authority to just make whatever arbitrary decisions they feel like—it might also come down to the whole hierarchy of laws, where lower-level regulations have to actually align with higher ones.

That’s a fair question to ask.

But really, who is actually running things over in San Diego? Is it nobody? Or is it someone specific?

hollowmason64 said:Seriously, stop giving me this drama about mental health just because people have to stay home for a couple of weeks. It’s not like they can’t go to the grocery store, the pharmacy, or wherever else they need to go—they just shouldn't be out wandering around unnecessarily.
Honestly, some people are just too sensitive.
Look, if we follow that logic—if it’s okay for people to lose it and ignore the rules because their "mental pressure is too high"—then is it okay for me to snap because I have to work wrapped in PPE and disinfect myself constantly? Is it okay if I smack someone over the head if they walk up to me at my job?
I’m reaching my limit here, I really am. Or should I expect a cashier to tell me to get lost whenever I ask a question?
Because actions have consequences.
If you guys are struggling on the inside, it isn't any easier for us out here, and we might just "snap" too.

Chinese people welded shut apartment building doors in order to "maximally prevent infection." Are you actually supporting that?

If things in this country get to the point where people are literally dropping dead in the streets, and idiots are still wandering around ignoring the mandates, then yeah. Honestly, sometimes you have to protect the fools from themselves.

Say there are twenty new cases in a week. Then what? Do you allow movement and social contact again? Do you bring schools back online? Reopen the professional sports leagues?

No, you’d first lift these movement restrictions, and then we'll see... whatever happens in the following days.

What you're talking about regarding suicides—those involve people who are inherently mentally unstable, and those types of individuals should be under supervision regardless of whether it's due to the coronavirus or not.

If I recall correctly, an ID card showing your residence should be enough to prove where you belong.

Not necessarily. If you show up outside of your area without authorization and get caught, you can count on being ordered into self-isolation.

What do you mean "how can there be none"? This person is just trying to let you know you aren't alone in this. Take me, for example—I have a permit and I could easily go visit my family, whom I see every year for Easter, but it hasn't even crossed my mind. There are three elderly people and one younger person with a heart condition living there. It doesn't occur to me to risk putting them in danger just so I can visit. I wouldn't be able to show my face at the local bakery if I had to live with the fact that I might have accidentally brought an infection to them, God forbid.
I just don't think some people truly get it.
And it isn't the system's fault, nor is it yours or anyone else's for not updating addresses sooner—I suppose waiting until the last minute to handle paperwork is a job for fools.

I have no idea what it even means to be unstable "by default," but this theory that only those who were already completely broken decide to end it themselves is—well, it's total bullshit.

Ultimately, what is the actual difference between your attitude of "let them die, they're screwed anyway" and Pernarov's stance of "let them die from the coronavirus, they're old anyway"?

Your current perspective is like that old joke: "When Joe suffers, everyone suffers; when Joe drinks, everyone drinks; when Joe pays, everyone pays." At the very core of your vision lies fear. A frightened person loses all sense of objectivity.

Thomas Hernandez4 said:So, we can just sit here and cry about it.

I work and live in one place, but on paper, I'm registered somewhere else.
The official recommendation is to register your temporary residence through the government portal so you can actually move between where you live and where you're officially registered. But registering a temporary stay is impossible right now because the police are only handling emergencies.🤦 It’s like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.
Easter is coming up, and I want to go visit my family at my permanent address. I'll probably make the trip there, but then I won't be able to get back to where I actually live and work because I don't have a permit. There's no way for me to get one, and I can't even register my current residence.
I honestly don't know who's crazier here.

How old are you—twelve?

Of course, it is absolutely impossible that during this imaginary little Easter visit, you’d bring your folks some chocolate fudge, some Badel brandy, or twenty ounces of ground coffee—and perhaps toss in the coronavirus as a little parting gift to ensure their untimely demise?

No, that’s clearly out of the question, because—let’s be honest here—you obviously know you're perfectly healthy; after all, the coronavirus only seems to affect *other* people, right? You wash your hands constantly, your relatives brew some miraculous homemade moonshine that could practically raise the dead, you're all just a genetic marvel, and Grandma Elvira made it to a hundred and fifty, so why should anything change?

hollowmason64 said:So, just because some people are struggling mentally, what are we supposed to do? Tailor every single regulation to every individual person?
These measures were put in place to stop the spread of the virus as much as possible, not to mess with anyone for fun.

When will it end? When we see a decrease in new cases for several days in a row.

Started what? You might want to check the news—there haven't been any new infections in Istria over the last two days. And keep in mind, that decision isn't even at the local level; it's coming from the national government.

I don't see many options besides paying it. You could go to court and try your luck seeing if some judge takes pity on you, but the odds are slim. Most likely, you'll just end up paying the full amount plus legal fees.

I just don't get why all those highly successful expats suddenly decided to move back home. Was it maybe because they got kicked into high gear by all that supposed "financial stability" abroad?

That logic is completely flawed.

It isn’t just about "some" people—it's much broader than that. Honestly, if they push these excessive measures and act with this kind of misplaced intensity, it’s going to screw over way more than just a few individuals. I mean, we're talking about systemic fallout here, not just isolated incidents.

Aside from everything else, people are just going to be staying home and drinking themselves into oblivion—and honestly, that’s inevitably going to drive up the death toll. But, since those folks won't exactly show up in the official COVID-19 statistics, I guess it doesn't really matter to the bureaucrats.

Look, let’s be clear about this—these measures were implemented with the sole intention of preventing the spread of the infection as much as humanly possible; they weren't put in place just to mess with anyone or play games.

The Chinese are welding people's front doors shut under the guise of "maximum infection prevention." And you're actually standing behind that? Seriously?

When exactly is this all going to wrap up? I mean, honestly—when are we actually going to see those numbers for new cases drop for several days in a row?

Are you kidding me? Seriously?

Let's say, hypothetically, we see twenty new infections over the course of a week. What then—really? What’s the actual move at that point? Do you just flip a switch and allow people to start moving around and socializing again? Do you greenlight the return to classrooms? Or maybe you get the football league back on the schedule? I mean, I guess there has to be some kind of logic here, but I'm honestly not seeing the roadmap.

hollowmason64 said:Because in my mind, I connect the idea that the more people move around, the more they socialize and meet, which naturally extends our ability to tackle this evil.
I agree that this is brutal for people living in tight-knit small towns, and they really ought to find some kind of solution, like a weekly pass to handle necessary errands.

I also don't understand how someone's life or wartime struggles from back in '91 have any bearing on whether today's restrictions are justified—a few people have used that exact logic to claim today's bans are total nonsense.

People were explaining that to those who kept insisting this was unbearable and that people would eventually snap. But it isn't true that it's unbearable; it was just an example of how much people can endure when they absolutely have to. It's all mental. And clearly, we've become quite unreasonable in the process.

Well, everyone has their own perspective. For what it's worth, I haven't left the house all week and I'm happy about it, though I am dreading having to go to the store next week.

Someone who is right on the edge of breaking isn't going to walk away from that state by listening to someone else's even worse experiences or getting lectured about being "spoiled."

I think I mentioned this somewhere earlier today: any measure that seriously wrecks a huge number of people psychologically does more total harm than good. If—or when—people finally lose their minds and end up committing suicide or hurting someone else, then what? What's the solution then?

BTW, how exactly do you envision "ending this evil"? Are you imagining a day (relatively soon, before the economy completely collapses) where there just won't be any new infections anymore?

wiredbison272 said:They shot down my request too, and they didn't even bother giving me a reason why. Honestly, whatever, if I need to head out, I'm going. They haven't caught me yet, and I'm really hoping they don't, but if they do decide to pull me over, they can try and hit me with a fine for all it matters to me.

When—or if—that judge's ruling on the fine actually shows up at your front door, what then? What's the plan? Are you just going to stop breathing? Start kicking your feet in protest? Close your eyes and pray you don't exist? Or maybe just complain about it all the way to the top of the food chain?

I am genuinely curious, though—what do these "I-don't-care-about-rules!!!!1!" heroes actually intend to do when their little displays of bravado are finally put to the test?

The other day, I was watching this talk show where some viewer was dead serious, explaining how inhaling lavender and chamomile essence sanitizes your respiratory system. I honestly thought I wouldn't run into such blatant nonsense for quite a while—but then, in a single day, it hits you all at once: first, I’m reading some colleague questioning why we even bother with public health warnings when there’s always an antibiotic like Sumamed available, and now, here you come with your theories about 5G networks.

hollowmason64 said:My wife was at home with our little one, who was dealing with a nasty case of appendicitis. He was doubling over in pain, just absolutely miserable. We tried calling emergency services, but they were being incredibly difficult about coming out. She actually had to get creative and find a workaround just to make sure he could get to the hospital without her breaking her own self-isolation protocols. It was a stressful situation, but we managed to get him the care he needed.
If someone really wants an excuse, they’ll always find one.

The real culprits here? It’s the people who let skiers, doctors, and all those other groups just wander in and bring the infection back with them from out of state.

Exactly. It’s just like those same idiots who brought the virus home because they couldn't be bothered to actually follow self-isolation protocols, even though they knew exactly where they had been.

It’s really not that big of a deal. Honestly, looking at how much everyone is struggling, I’d be happy to send all of you over to work the jobs I have to deal with. You know, those roles where you actually have to interact with people face-to-face, where you're constantly wrapped up in gear, and where you're basically forced to wash your hands in alcohol just to make sure you don't accidentally pass a virus onto a water bottle because you forgot you were wearing gloves. It's definitely an experience.
Just wanted to share this so you guys can see how awesome it actually is.

It’s perfectly clear to me that someone working under the conditions you’re describing is going to be pissed off at everything, but that still doesn't give them any right to label everyone who thinks these measures are excessive or unenforceable as "those people who find it so hard and miserable at home."

We are talking about a banal fact—one that isn't exactly obvious if you're looking at it from a Washington, D.C. perspective—that people traveling for completely legitimate business reasons, or even totally valid personal ones, end up crossing through three or more different counties just to cover ten or fifteen miles. So, it’s not because they’re bored, and it’s certainly not because they’re trying to dodge a wife waiting for them at home; it’s due to legitimate life circumstances. There are very few idiots out there who would mess around under these conditions, and those folks can be dealt with separately.

Even if the police were standing on every corner ready to shoot anyone who stepped out of their front door, your specific working conditions wouldn't change. Therefore, I fail to see what connection your (admittedly unenviable) situation has to whether or not movement should be restricted.

Equally, I don't understand what connection someone's survival struggles from the nineties have to the legitimacy of today's restrictions—though a few people have used that exact logic to argue that today's bans are total nonsense.

hollowmason64 said:Nah, they actually solved that by putting way more cops on the road. Now, even if you’re cruising at 40 or 45, you have to drop down to 30 just because some idiot is doing 75, otherwise you'll end up getting pulled over too.

I was thinking more about people who actually live in the same community.
As for how long this lasts... personally, I wouldn't expect anything to wrap up before late May.

Fair enough, but what do you think would be a better solution?

What is the actual purpose behind this measure? What are we even doing here?

The only supposed justification for this ban was to prevent a mass exodus from Washington, D.C., particularly following the earthquake. And honestly, one could argue about that reasoning for quite some time.

But, I think a much better approach would have been—instead of all this massive administrative bloat and wasted manpower trying to regulate things that simply can't be regulated (or will just sort themselves out anyway)—to focus strictly on monitoring those actually in self-isolation.

From the very limited experience I have, this "monitoring" usually consists of nothing more than a single, one-off police check. I’m not saying there aren't outliers, of course, but this kind of superficial "check" shouldn't even be happening, let alone being treated as a standard procedure.

It is a fundamentally excessive measure that does more harm than good. In these kinds of prolonged, psychologically taxing situations, you really have to be careful not to push people too far. This specific policy has succeeded only in driving a huge number of people absolutely crazy.

don Kacunko said:I know of several cases in the local area where healthcare workers—people with actually decent salaries—were leaving for Germany to work in nursing homes. I just can’t wrap my head around it.

What part of it isn't clear?

Haven't studies shown that people aren't just leaving solely because of the money—it might not even be the primary driver?

The real issue here, if you ask me, is a government that basically rolls out the red carpet for people to live, work, and pay their taxes abroad while still taking advantage of our domestic healthcare system. That kind of state negligence is something I will simply never understand.

A colleague of mine over in Ireland wrote yesterday, more or less saying, "I won't be coming back because I don't pay taxes in America." I can't say I've ever heard an example of such blatant integrity before. I'm not saying those people don't exist, obviously, but I certainly haven't heard them.

They’ll find out eventually.

If they don't see you for three days, Mary whispers to Barrett, "Hey, where's our neighbor Peter? You think he's stuck in quarantine?"—then Barrett turns to Stephanie and lets slip, "Oh my gosh, did you hear? Peter has COVID"—and within forty-eight hours, the entire apartment complex "knows" that Peter is a drug addict, a Freemason, gay, and somehow preying on little Jerica from the second floor.

People.

It remains utterly unclear how—or why—it suddenly occurred to someone to decide that people are going to start mass-producing fraudulent passes out of thin air.

Now, if some officer decides to start giving me grief over my perfectly legitimate pass just because it doesn't have a QR code, the whole thing is going to turn into an absolute circus.

Joshua Gray75 said:http://hr.n1info.com/Vijesti/a496013...om-obliku.html

– Law enforcement reported they have received tips regarding suspected manipulations. I want to send a clear message to anyone engaging in this: it is a very serious criminal offense involving the forgery of documents, and there will be no leniency. Depending on the severity, this is an act that can carry prison time. We won't be handing out minimum sentences in a situation like this—stated Božinović, noting that the Department of the Interior, as the project lead, is working alongside the Department of Justice on an application designed to minimize the potential for permit manipulation. This specific application was presented yesterday during a meeting at the FBI, and once the details are further refined, they should be released to the public this Wednesday.

In other words—the police have people assigned specifically to monitor Reddit...

So, one should probably be careful about what gets posted.

Honestly, the Secretary of the Department of Justice shouldn't even be uttering a sentence like that—not even at a private family dinner.

Thanks 🙂.

To be fair, we’re dealing with a situation where there isn't even an official written order regarding self-isolation—it was just some verbal notice given upon landing at the airport.

Anyway, I suppose we'll just have to get in touch with the FAA 🤣

How exactly does one wrap up their quarantine?

Do I actually need to notify some government agency or official somewhere, or is it just a matter of waiting out the two weeks until life goes back to normal and that’s that?