Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

Jessica Gonzalez said:That’s a fascinating point. Are we really suggesting we promote fear and shame for just one specific illness? Is there shame for the first person who ever offered someone a cigarette? Do they sleep soundly? Or should driving instructors feel shame because dozens of people die in accidents every year? Do they sleep okay then?

Don't worry, I think I see where you're coming from, but trying to instill those kinds of feelings in the public—making people feel ashamed or guilty just for taking a walk outside—is something we've never really seen before. I mean, you've probably brought a few bugs home to your dad over the years, right? And I assume you both slept fine. Honestly, it's not like you're going around licking handrails in the middle of town just to get in people's faces.

🤣🤣

Jessica Gonzalez said:That’s a fascinating point. Are we really suggesting we promote fear and shame for just one specific illness? Is there shame for the first person who ever offered someone a cigarette? Do they sleep soundly? Or should driving instructors feel shame because dozens of people die in accidents every year? Do they sleep okay then?

Don't worry, I think I see where you're coming from, but trying to instill those kinds of feelings in the public—making people feel ashamed or guilty just for taking a walk outside—is something we've never really seen before. I mean, you've probably brought a few bugs home to your dad over the years, right? And I assume you both slept fine. Honestly, it's not like you're going around licking handrails in the middle of town just to get in people's faces.

But there's a much higher chance of something going wrong with this specific virus because it really hits vulnerable people hard. My brother has had heart issues since 2015. We are being extremely careful around him, both with this virus and everything else, but this current strain is brutal on anyone with underlying health problems.

I honestly don't get some of the attitudes on this forum. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an extremist. I haven't barricaded myself in my apartment like some people; I still go to work regularly. My life hasn't stopped, and I don't have the luxury of working from home. But I'm not exactly "relaxed" either. I'm not sitting here nodding along or making jokes like everyone else does. It actually gives me the chills to see groups of people walking their dogs without masks, sitting on benches, chatting away, or grabbing beers on the grass. You see three, four, five people huddled together in a group, all ages, and absolutely nobody is wearing a mask.

What should they be doing instead? A lot of people here are acting way too casual. They crowd together in big groups, and if anyone shows even a hint of caution, they end up pressed against a pole just to stay away. Let's just completely let our guard down then, shall we? Throw out the anchor and turn into Italy 2.0. Those folks stayed nice and relaxed, and now they're dealing with tens of thousands of infections and piles of deaths.

Elizabeth Mendoza said:But there's a much higher chance of something going wrong with this specific virus because it really hits vulnerable people hard. My brother has had heart issues since 2015. We are being extremely careful around him, both with this virus and everything else, but this current strain is brutal on anyone with underlying health problems.

I honestly don't get some of the attitudes on this forum. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an extremist. I haven't barricaded myself in my apartment like some people; I still go to work regularly. My life hasn't stopped, and I don't have the luxury of working from home. But I'm not exactly "relaxed" either. I'm not sitting here nodding along or making jokes like everyone else does. It actually gives me the chills to see groups of people walking their dogs without masks, sitting on benches, chatting away, or grabbing beers on the grass. You see three, four, five people huddled together in a group, all ages, and absolutely nobody is wearing a mask.

What should they be doing instead? A lot of people here are acting way too casual. They crowd together in big groups, and if anyone shows even a hint of caution, they end up pressed against a pole just to stay away. Let's just completely let our guard down then, shall we? Throw out the anchor and turn into Italy 2.0. Those folks stayed nice and relaxed, and now they're dealing with tens of thousands of infections and piles of deaths.

Stop being so dramatic, man. Most of us are being plenty cautious. I’ve got an elderly parent with heart issues too, so I'm careful, but just because we're discussing the numbers or saying the mortality rate is around 1% doesn't mean I'm out here wandering around recklessly or breathing on people. I'm a normal person—I keep my distance, wash my hands constantly, and I'm not paranoid. It's not like I look at someone sneezing near me like they're some kind of sociopath.

Hey, Elizabeth Mendoza, Italy’s been drowning in healthcare chaos for years now—so this whole situation wasn't exactly a shocker. There were just way too many moving parts failing at once. Their medical experts basically brushed the virus off like it was nothing, and by the time they actually realized they needed to shut down travel, it was already too late. You had folks traveling from the north straight down south, bringing the virus along for the ride. Plus, let’s be real: they have one of the oldest populations in the world and their hospital capacity was already stretched thin to the breaking point. And don't even get me started on the stats—those numbers are inflated as hell. I’m convinced there are people who died because doctors went too aggressive with treatment, but you won't hear anyone talking about that... it's just not "healthy" to admit that shoving everyone onto ventilators isn't always the answer.

wiredrider9 said:The folks up in Appalachia are busy correcting the national Headquarters. Turns out that 46-year-old who passed away was actually dealing with some serious health issues way before this
According to the County Headquarters, the guy was immobile and had been struggling with arterial hypertension and obesity for a while now

The national headquarters is just a bunch of liars and manipulators, honestly

If this pattern of deaths among retirees and those with chronic illnesses continues—where they essentially make up 99% of the total fatalities—there will be an uprising... the authorities should simply isolate the critical demographic so the rest of us can go about our lives normally... otherwise, there won't even be any pension funds left for them...
edit:
And if the people in charge attempt to obfuscate the truth by claiming everyone is equally at risk, it will come back to haunt them...

Anthony Jackson2 said:And yeah, I’ll keep calling you out. Prove to me that the person who spread it was actually being irresponsible, rather than it just being pure luck. Go ahead, I'm waiting.

I live in a house with four other people—three of them work, so 4 out of 5 of us are out every single day, interacting with the world, hitting the grocery store or the pharmacy. The odds of me catching this thing while walking through a park are way lower than the odds of someone in my own house bringing it home from work or the store. So, what's the actual point of quarantines, locking apartment doors, and all those other idiotic measures? You guessed it: nothing. (I wrote that because I knew you wouldn't catch on.)

Besides, the fact that the virus made its way back to China proves these measures were a failure, especially since they aren't sustainable in the long run anyway.

I am genuinely curious how the Headquarters intends to resolve this...🍿

Elizabeth Mendoza said:But there's a much higher chance of something going wrong with this specific virus because it really hits vulnerable people hard. My brother has had heart issues since 2015. We are being extremely careful around him, both with this virus and everything else, but this current strain is brutal on anyone with underlying health problems.

I honestly don't get some of the attitudes on this forum. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an extremist. I haven't barricaded myself in my apartment like some people; I still go to work regularly. My life hasn't stopped, and I don't have the luxury of working from home. But I'm not exactly "relaxed" either. I'm not sitting here nodding along or making jokes like everyone else does. It actually gives me the chills to see groups of people walking their dogs without masks, sitting on benches, chatting away, or grabbing beers on the grass. You see three, four, five people huddled together in a group, all ages, and absolutely nobody is wearing a mask.

What should they be doing instead? A lot of people here are acting way too casual. They crowd together in big groups, and if anyone shows even a hint of caution, they end up pressed against a pole just to stay away. Let's just completely let our guard down then, shall we? Throw out the anchor and turn into Italy 2.0. Those folks stayed nice and relaxed, and now they're dealing with tens of thousands of infections and piles of deaths.

People have simply had enough of this whole ordeal and they're trying to live their lives again... after a month of being stuck inside, a person just wants to have a beer, take a walk, get some fresh air, catch up with someone... isolation is exhausting, quite frankly...

wiredrider9 said:Hey, Elizabeth Mendoza, Italy’s been drowning in healthcare chaos for years now—so this whole situation wasn't exactly a shocker. There were just way too many moving parts failing at once. Their medical experts basically brushed the virus off like it was nothing, and by the time they actually realized they needed to shut down travel, it was already too late. You had folks traveling from the north straight down south, bringing the virus along for the ride. Plus, let’s be real: they have one of the oldest populations in the world and their hospital capacity was already stretched thin to the breaking point. And don't even get me started on the stats—those numbers are inflated as hell. I’m convinced there are people who died because doctors went too aggressive with treatment, but you won't hear anyone talking about that... it's just not "healthy" to admit that shoving everyone onto ventilators isn't always the answer.

What makes us any different? Our healthcare system is drowning in debt, hospitals are falling apart, and we’re facing a massive shortage of doctors and nurses everywhere you look.

A buddy of mine lives over in Slovakia, and man, they have strict mask mandates outdoors—no exceptions. The streets are empty. Only essential workers are allowed out to keep things running. They basically implemented a total lockdown. He was telling me today that the military might even be patrolling the streets during the holidays.

They have a few more cases than us, but half as many, and only two deaths. How can they possibly be doing better?

Anthony Jackson2 said:And yeah, I’ll keep calling you out. Prove to me that the person who spread it was actually being irresponsible, rather than it just being pure luck. Go ahead, I'm waiting.

I live in a house with four other people—three of them work, so 4 out of 5 of us are out every single day, interacting with the world, hitting the grocery store or the pharmacy. The odds of me catching this thing while walking through a park are way lower than the odds of someone in my own house bringing it home from work or the store. So, what's the actual point of quarantines, locking apartment doors, and all those other idiotic measures? You guessed it: nothing. (I wrote that because I knew you wouldn't catch on.)

Besides, the fact that the virus made its way back to China proves these measures were a failure, especially since they aren't sustainable in the long run anyway.

Only 62 new cases in China? That doesn't sound like an outbreak to me. If things were actually returning to total normalcy, then yeah, it would probably resurface.

Until we find a vaccine, the "new normal" is definitely going to involve mandatory masks indoors, temperature checks before entering shops, cafes, and restaurants, and restricting movement for high-risk groups. Honestly, I don't see any other solution right now.

If this is really the peak of 21st-century science—then we probably need to rethink how much money we're throwing at certain industries

wiredrider9 said:The folks in charge clearly checked their brains at the door months ago—maybe even earlier. Honestly, they should've just shut the borders tight and banned everyone except Americans coming home (and yeah, mandatory quarantine first, obviously). At the same time, nobody living here should be allowed to fly out for some damn ski trips or whatever other nonsense. And we need mandatory isolation for pensioners; let the Volunteers and the Dodo Army deliver food right to their doorstep. If they actually follow the rules, the government could toss out their utility bills for the period they're stuck at home. But if they decide to go rogue? Well, they shouldn't expect any medical help if they get sick—let them deal with it. Everything else can stay open, but we need strict entry controls for big-box retailers and stuff. Cafes and restaurants should have way fewer tables to keep people distanced, and schools or colleges need to keep running, provided they're disinfecting everything every single day.

Some guy named wiredrider9 posted this on the forum back on April 8th, way down on page 650 of some random chat thread. 🙏
No, and this guy actually has the nerve to act like he's some kind of visionary, talking down to everyone about how he’d close the borders on the Moon if he could. 🙏Half the tables in local bars have been cleared out because some cop rolls in with a tape measure and suddenly it's game over. They're measuring the distance from the bar to the table, then from one table to the next, just to be sure. They mobilized volunteers and the National Guard overnight to get it all sorted. If wiredrider9 were running things, he probably would've had the whole operation organized in a single day. 🙏And then there’s this absolute clown talking about withholding medical care. Seriously? Just let them die, I guess. That's the logic. And what was that post above all this actually about? China? 🤣🤣

Honey, just stay right where you are on the couch. Sit down and make yourself comfortable.

Elizabeth Mendoza said:What makes us any different? Our healthcare system is drowning in debt, hospitals are falling apart, and we’re facing a massive shortage of doctors and nurses everywhere you look.

A buddy of mine lives over in Slovakia, and man, they have strict mask mandates outdoors—no exceptions. The streets are empty. Only essential workers are allowed out to keep things running. They basically implemented a total lockdown. He was telling me today that the military might even be patrolling the streets during the holidays.

They have a few more cases than us, but half as many, and only two deaths. How can they possibly be doing better?

Look, we actually have more hospital beds per capita than the Italians do. They usually deal with packed hospitals every single winter just from the standard flu, so this whole thing was basically just the final straw for them.

Elizabeth Mendoza said:What makes us any different? Our healthcare system is drowning in debt, hospitals are falling apart, and we’re facing a massive shortage of doctors and nurses everywhere you look.

A buddy of mine lives over in Slovakia, and man, they have strict mask mandates outdoors—no exceptions. The streets are empty. Only essential workers are allowed out to keep things running. They basically implemented a total lockdown. He was telling me today that the military might even be patrolling the streets during the holidays.

They have a few more cases than us, but half as many, and only two deaths. How can they possibly be doing better?

Okay, but honestly? Screw a life like that. A month or two? Fine. But experts are saying it’ll take two years to roll out vaccines and treatments, so they think staying in these kinds of quarantines is the best move. Are they out of their minds? 🤣

It’s all just because certain people can't stop stuffing their faces every single second. And now they're starting the whole PR spin to act like none of this is their fault.

Paul Sanders5 said:Okay, but honestly? Screw a life like that. A month or two? Fine. But experts are saying it’ll take two years to roll out vaccines and treatments, so they think staying in these kinds of quarantines is the best move. Are they out of their minds? 🤣

It’s all just because certain people can't stop stuffing their faces every single second. And now they're starting the whole PR spin to act like none of this is their fault.

Seriously, what industry is actually going to survive two years of this? What can even survive six months? People would literally be starving. Someone needs to sit the public down and explain that we have to live like this for two years just to save less than 1% of the population. It sounds ugly, but that's the reality.

Paul Sanders5 said:Okay, but honestly? Screw a life like that. A month or two? Fine. But experts are saying it’ll take two years to roll out vaccines and treatments, so they think staying in these kinds of quarantines is the best move. Are they out of their minds? 🤣

It’s all just because certain people can't stop stuffing their faces every single second. And now they're starting the whole PR spin to act like none of this is their fault.

Two years? Nobody is staying in quarantine for two years. No one is actually thinking that. 😁
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/06/a...hnk/index.html

The Chinese are slowly getting back to business. Wuhan has come out of isolation, and things will return to normal.

Susan Kim2 said:Two years? Nobody is staying in quarantine for two years. No one is actually thinking that. 😁
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/06/a...hnk/index.html

The Chinese are slowly getting back to business. Wuhan has come out of isolation, and things will return to normal.

not gonna happen

Susan Kim2 said:Some guy named wiredrider9 posted this on the forum back on April 8th, way down on page 650 of some random chat thread. 🙏
No, and this guy actually has the nerve to act like he's some kind of visionary, talking down to everyone about how he’d close the borders on the Moon if he could. 🙏Half the tables in local bars have been cleared out because some cop rolls in with a tape measure and suddenly it's game over. They're measuring the distance from the bar to the table, then from one table to the next, just to be sure. They mobilized volunteers and the National Guard overnight to get it all sorted. If wiredrider9 were running things, he probably would've had the whole operation organized in a single day. 🙏And then there’s this absolute clown talking about withholding medical care. Seriously? Just let them die, I guess. That's the logic. And what was that post above all this actually about? China? 🤣🤣

Honey, just stay right where you are on the couch. Sit down and make yourself comfortable.

🤣🤣

But seriously, some people post absolute garbage here, on both sides of the aisle. Reality is complicated; there are no easy fixes.

wiredrider9 said:not gonna happen

Why are you so damn sure about that?

Nobody knows anything yet. For all we know, that virus could just vanish into thin air once summer hits. 🤷

wiredrider9 said:not gonna happen

Of course there will be layoffs and a crisis coming. I think everyone realizes that already.
What I meant was that in a month, you might actually be able to grab a beer, visit a friend, or head to a theater or a movie without having to religiously scan every person in the room to see if they're keeping their distance.

Susan Kim2 said:Of course there will be layoffs and a crisis coming. I think everyone realizes that already.
What I meant was that in a month, you might actually be able to grab a beer, visit a friend, or head to a theater or a movie without having to religiously scan every person in the room to see if they're keeping their distance.

It’s not going back to how it was, just remember that. Honestly, parts of our lives are probably gonna shrink even more—the question is whether that hits our wallets or just our daily routines. Things won't ever be totally "normal" again; there are going to be shifts, and yeah, most of them will be negative. Of course, they'll just package it all up and tell us it's "for our health" or "the greater good."😉

wiredrider9 said:It’s not going back to how it was, just remember that. Honestly, parts of our lives are probably gonna shrink even more—the question is whether that hits our wallets or just our daily routines. Things won't ever be totally "normal" again; there are going to be shifts, and yeah, most of them will be negative. Of course, they'll just package it all up and tell us it's "for our health" or "the greater good."😉

Have you already gone back to using an old Nokia 3310 and swapping out SIM cards after every single transaction? 🤦