yeah just backing this up I was supported by this from March to September and it equated to $1500/fortnight (less tax), but started getting wound back thereafter (tightened eligibilities, reduced rates etc.) ironically as things truly started to hit the fucking fan down in melbourne. it was a good initiative that was targeted terribly and was ripe for exploitation by businesses, and was in certain instances used as a means of raising tax revenues on people in the form of picking up and being balanced against arrears. also was inherently ideological in nature – arts orgs exempt, as were local government councils and universities (the presiding government loathes all of the above), and also played into some bizarre conceptions as to what constituted 'valuable' work. government were forced into it because they had no choice, but on a federal level they've resisted undertaking any meaningful action on anything and have tried to undo any goodwill engendered by ripping away support just as the country begins to crumble, masquerading as if the pandemic is over.

I definitely hear you, particularly concerning the class bias of the exemptions (bourgeois bastions such as arts organizations and universities), yet the whole idea of "woke" ideology is the support of the bourgeoisie and lumpenproletariate at the expense of workers and farmers, just as, in my country, President Elect (?) Biden promises forgiveness of Federal student loans, which will certainly provide a massive subsidy to the petite bourgeoisie at the expense of workers and farmers!

***

Some clarification, though. When you say "the presiding government loathes all of the above" do you mean the State of Victoria, or the Federal government? And could you expand on your statement: "but on a federal level they've resisted undertaking any meaningful action on anything and have tried to undo any goodwill engendered by ripping away support just as the country begins to crumble, masquerading as if the pandemic is over."? Are you saying that the federal government is ceasing financial support while the epidemic is worsening?

haaahaaahaaaa
first time i see that one

Yes. It's not worsening, but it's exactly what they're doing.

Over here we have an increase in infections again, possibly because everybody went to the shops for Black Friday last week. It was so crowded in the big city centers that shops were ordered to close early.
Stupid American traditions. We inherit them all except for the pardoning of the turkeys. :)

The estimated number of deaths for the 1968 epidemic was 1 million worldwide and about 100,000 in the United States. It was 116,000 deaths in the United States for the 1957 epidemic.

So far America is on 287,000 deaths during this current pandemic and it's just gonna keep going up.along with that the long term effects of getting it are also only beginning to show themselves. But hey, that's nothing, right? Here's hoping your family dies from it so you can wake up yourself. May sound harsh but the reason there are so many deaths is because of idiots like you.

Took part in the mass-screening today and did the human blockhead. I was tested negative.


People out there are still behaving like idiots. The numbers have gone back a good bit since mid-November, but they're still pretty damn bad. 2686 new infections today.

we had 3000 dead yesterday alone

Yeah, what's happening in the states is an absolute fucking tragedy. The sooner that orange buffoon is out, the better.


We're at about 4000 since the beginning of the pandemic now. There's an enormous gap indeed. But it's still far too much around here. Especially considering the whole country only has about the population of NYC. And apart from Vienna (which sits at a cool 2 mill), none of the other larger cities even have a population of half a million (Graz coming closest at 443.066). And lots of stretches of land are rather sparsely populated. Given that fact, Austria even overtook the states in terms of new infections relative to the overall population about a month ago. Fortunately, that wasn't the case for the death toll as well (might have something to do with the healthcare system), but it still skyrocketed in the last few months. No contest, really. Just saying, things aren't exactly great here, either. Close to 3000 infected per day is still far too many for a country with a population shy of 9 Million.

I'm not wholly convinced Orange Cheeto officially exiting will have much effect. There are some who are going to refuse to follow guidelines and mandates regardless of who orders or doesn't order them.

The damage has been done. It will be a long way. But I'd imagine someone not actively hindering progress in the fight against Covid just might have some effect. The situation would have been dire even without Cheeto in Chief, but he actively exacerbated things and fanned the flames of a culture of ignorance and disinformation. So the steps that will have to be taken after he leaves office can't be a cure-all. But in order to progress somehow, you gotta take baby steps sometimes. Trump on the other hand is an ill-tempered baby that steps on any attempt at a serious conversation and made things so much worse than they would've already been. Yes, many will still not adhere to the mandates. But on a policy level,one would hope, there will certainly be a few changes. It's not going to be an overnight thing, that's for certain. It's all about keeping the next worst-case-scenario at bay now.

I must spread some Reputation around before giving it to h8kurdt again.

You're in SD, right? From The Washington Post:

Covid-19 becomes personal in a South Dakota town as neighbors die and the town debates a mask mandate

A city council member in Mitchell, S.D., tried to introduce a mask mandate and was ridiculed. Since then, the town has been inundated with the coronavirus, with the hospital bursting to capacity and a 38 percent positivity rate. Now the town council is trying again.

yup, we're not the smartest people

i'm still waiting for someone to point out the in-writing rights that masks infringe on, and i may have a better time talking to a wall with fresh wet paint on it.

Some fucked up shit from The Washington Post:

Hurrah again! Next to Germany and probably some other European countries, the Netherlands is going into lockdown until 19 January

Precisely because no such bullshit exists, this is a leadership problem. "Mask debate" is the dumbest fucking thing I've heard in my life. MANDATORY USE OF FACE MASKS EVERYWHERE, NOW. Oh, you don't like it? Meanie masky too itchy for yer lil' freedumb? You're gonna go whine to SCOTUS, arentcha? THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU, you selfish prick, it's about the people you're gonna kill with your pestilent breath. If you wanna die as well, down some Johnnie Walker, grab a handgun and put a bullet in your retarded brain - it'll be faster and we'll all be better off.