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Tuesday, August 04, 2020

All this over a damned mask

Local and state police Saturday engaged in a shootout with a Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania man wanted on suspicion of shooting at a cigar store clerk the day prior after the clerk had asked him to wear a mask inside the shop.
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Hey, if you don't want to wear a mask inside a shop that requires one, don't shop there. It's as simple as that.

I've broken down and worn one a couple times in the past two weeks when I went into Walmart to get stuff we needed that the other stores here in town didn't carry. I didn't like it and you can be sure that I checked the other stores first, but in the end I put the damned mask on. Did I get snappy with the employee that was outside making sure that customers understood they were required? No, it's not her fault. Did I lie and say I had a medical exemption? No, I don't lie. Will I try to order what I need online next time? You bet I will.

I have to say that this is something that I've struggled with anyway. While I'm healthy, my wife is one of those at-risk people due to pre-existing health problems. Do I risk being exposed and passing it on to her because of my hard-headedness?
No, I took a vow when we got married to protect her. My solution was to avoid crowds and to stay as far away from other people as possible which is something that I've always done anyway. No big deal. But in the end, you do what you have to do.

29 comments:

  1. I hear ya, it's a pain in the ass but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.
    Yall be safe
    JD

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  2. I can't understand the panty-wadding about masks from those who don't believe in them. I figure...the people you're around dealing with the public are working low wage, underappreciated jobs. They didn't force this, and likely believe that my wearing a mask will keep them safer. They spend enough time dealing with the assholery of the public, so if it makes them feel a little safer, I'll try not to contribute to their perception of assholery and put a mask on while I'm around them.

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  3. If your Wal Mart has the online grocery pick up, that is the way to go. Order from your camo chair, keep track of your spending as you fill the cart and let them load it into your truck for you when you pick it up. Our Wal Mart is still having lines that wrap around the building to get in. I refuse to stand in line to go to a store.

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    Replies
    1. Good point, but that only protects you from customers that arrive after you, it doesn't complete protect you from any infected customers that arrived before you, nor does it protect you from the employees themselves. Also, I've seen that the virus can live on some surfaces for longer than previously stated. I also know that even N95 masks won't protect you from a virus, unless its bound to something large enough to stick to your mask...and this sucks...

      Fortunately, i have a job that is 100% remote (sometimes computers are great) so I haven't regularly had to deal with people outside of the house since 2008.

      Delete
  4. I too only go to walmart in a crunch but I have no problem ruffling feathers. When they ask to see my receipt, I kindly say no thank you. It causes a stink sometimes but once I tender, those goods are no longer walmarts, they are my property. So they are asking my permission to see my property. One time security called the manager and the manager said they are going to call the cops and I said if you do, I'll sue you for defamation of character and went about my business. This doesn't hold up at costco because you signed a contract.

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  5. I tell them I have an allergy. Generally, they don't push it, assuming medical condition. Otherwise I would need to tell them, I'm allergic to stupid political bullshit. Not lying!!!

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  6. The article says he'd being charged for having a firearm w/o a license? Since when does PA require a license to have a firearm? Maybe to carry concealed, but not to own one. I haven't lived there for almost 20 years, so maybe it's really gotten that bad. I remember when the place where the store is was corn fields.

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    1. The perpetrator is/was a convicted felon with a record of anger issues. I know the folks who run this place. Each of them are kind, polite and respectful.

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  7. Replies
    1. IF they insist, I walk away telling them they just lost a customer. Vote with your wallet.

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  8. If they require a mask, burn the goddamn building down, and then piss on the ashes.

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  9. Check out OSHA rules concerning minimum safe oxygen levels. Normally the air contains 20.5 to 21% oxygen. OSHA States that anything below 19.5% is considered an unsafe environment and requires self contained oxygen gear. That requires proper training. By the way, masks have been shown to reduce oxygen to 17.5% or less. Thus constituting an unsafe environment. You can say medical condition and not be lying. Everyone wearing masks are putting themselves in unsafe conditions and causing themselves harm.

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  10. Dick Tater Tommie Wolf has had PA under a continual declared State of Emergency for years now. The `Opioid Crisis ` has been the boogeyman he has used.

    Under PA law, under a State of Emergency open carry is prohibited if you do not have LTCF (License To Carry a Firearm, pAs version of a concealed carry permit).

    So that may be what they are talking about.

    Or maybe it's just an ignorant prosecutor or cop or reporter.

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  11. Check out OSHA rules concerning minimum safe oxygen levels. Normally the air contains 20.5 to 21% oxygen. OSHA States that anything below 19.5% is considered an unsafe environment and requires self contained oxygen gear. That requires proper training. By the way, masks have been shown to reduce oxygen to 17.5% or less. Thus constituting an unsafe environment. You can say medical condition and not be lying. Everyone wearing masks are putting themselves in unsafe conditions and causing themselves harm.

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  12. I'm with WC., myself; My ol' lady is battling cancer, asthma AND lupus. I wear a mask to do what I can to keep her safe, and, as a mechanical tech in the WW treatment industry, I've been practicing a higher level of protection for a lot of years. I value her, and I'm not interested in becoming a widower, so kindly don't bother to get in my face about masks. I make my choices with HER in mind, period.

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  13. Honestly,I think this is just a sign of how fed up people are getting.

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  14. Honestly, I think it's just a sign of how fed up people are getting.

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  15. I'm really getting tired of having 2 stores I can shop at. you want to wear one, fine. you do you. but don't try to make me wear one.

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  16. Like you, my wife has a compromised imunosysrem. I hate the mask and what it represents. But I wear it. It's what a man does. Don't hate the poor slob at the door, vote against the dckhead that is running you city or state gov. Mines an idiot.

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  17. Never never never will I wear a government mandates control mask. NEVER.

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  18. If you are sick ... wear a mask to keep your coughs and sneezes to yourself.
    If you are not sick, don't bother because is won't protect you unless it's hazmat quality. That way we have some indication of who is sick who isn't. Does that make sense?

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  19. They are inflicting an undo hardship on you and its a very sue-able situation.

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  20. To solve the pissing & moaning of the clerks, busy-bodies and so on, I bought one(4) of those mask with a charcoal filter inside that is interchangeable, I took the filter out. The breathing is easier by far. It gets warm but it looks like you have a mask on....FU(k'em...IMO.

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  21. Here's a quick demo of how effective masks are at blocking viruses:

    https://youtu.be/zxk8FpPeBPo

    Like you, I'll put one on to pacify the epsilon at the door, but I have zero faith in their effectiveness. At best masks are nothing more than security theater, and at worst are an exercise in forcing compliance. What's it going to be next?

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  22. I agree with your approach 100%. Even though it's BS, I think a guy that owns a business has every right to demand certain things of everyone that enters his premises, including a requirement that everyone wear pink eye shadow if that's what he wants. If you don't like it, you take your business elsewhere.

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  23. Same here. I'll put on a mask (a useless cloth one from Korea) to enter a store and avoid the drama, but with the knowledge it's bullshit.

    Did have to draw the line last week when this poor kid at the door of the computer store (wearing not only a mask but also safety goggles, a surgical bouffant hair cap and a plastic gown! /eyeroll) attempted to spray my hands with some blue fluid from an unlabelled plastic bottle. "No! Back off." Who knows what idiot substance they put into that bottle.

    Last night I broke down and went to a Trader Joe's. They have tape marking where you're supposed to stand. A man was assigned full time to make sure people were standing on the marks. He was wearing a full face shield. The people ahead of me tried to unload their cart and the cashier barked at them, "Step back to the tape! I will unload the cart. Do NOT approach me until I give the signal!"

    Great. I happened to draw the same cashier. The man in the face shield pointed me to her lane. I extended my basket to her reaching out as far as I could with my face averted, then jumped back to the tape mark, got down on both knees and put my interlaced fingers on the back of my head, elbows chicken-winged out. "I feel like I'm supposed to be doing this." A few people laughed. Most didn't. Face-shield guy said, "It hasn't come to that yet," in a decidedly unamused tone.

    If they want theater, I can do theater.

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    Replies
    1. Yep. The blue stuff may have been Barbicide, or portajohn biocide, or some other repurposed stuff. I wouldn't worry if it was Barbicide, it goes on peoples skin all the time when they get hair cuts.

      I cut a piece of denim from an old pair of blue-jeans and poked a hole in the top corners of it, a little twisty tie and boom, functional mask. I'm surprised I can get away with it. Most people out here don't cause any drama.

      - Arc

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  24. You know, coronavirus is present in shit. Perhaps our overlords should recommend that we should all walk around with our thumbs up our asses as well, just to prevent the spread of disease. I'm surprised that Tom Wolf hasn't come up with that one on his own, instead of copying every stupid recommendation that comes from the mouth of Don Cuomo.

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