The Coronavirus Thread

[Scot Dutchy]

So Rutte is just bringing in a partial lockdown and the mandatory wearing of masks because he's weak and just wants to please people?

He is not weak as such but he and his party (VVD) have been receiving ever increasing criticism over his handling of the whole crisis. The elections are in March and the VVD want to maintain their present position in order to take part in coalition talks but this crisis has turned into a political headache. While he and the Director of RIVM have been defending their standpoint on masks there has been a steady increase in the volume from the mask lobby which tends to be his party's supporters. Left wingers tend to want to have the freedom choice. Groen Links and the D'66 are making inroads thanks to the crisis. Rutte's normal impeccable communication skills have let him down and the last two Covid press conferences have been a bit of a shambles to be honest.

So Rutte is unable to exert control over the political situation? Sounds like 'weak' to me.

Sounds like democracy to me. The Tweede Kamer has always the last say. He has to work with a four party coalition which does not make it easy. It is not like the UK's second chamber where parties issue whips.

Erm. You were the one who was complaining that Rutte's hand was being unduly forced by the 'mask lobby' - and now you call that democracy. So I guess your problem is with NL Democracy. Perhaps the NL isn't that great after all?

Here we go misinterpretation. You are claiming something I never said which is quite usual for you. Sorry end of discussion. Satisfied you scored your point; typical Brit mentality.

[Brian Peacock]

He is not weak as such but he and his party (VVD) have been receiving ever increasing criticism over his handling of the whole crisis. The elections are in March and the VVD want to maintain their present position in order to take part in coalition talks but this crisis has turned into a political headache. While he and the Director of RIVM have been defending their standpoint on masks there has been a steady increase in the volume from the mask lobby which tends to be his party's supporters. Left wingers tend to want to have the freedom choice. Groen Links and the D'66 are making inroads thanks to the crisis. Rutte's normal impeccable communication skills have let him down and the last two Covid press conferences have been a bit of a shambles to be honest.

So Rutte is unable to exert control over the political situation? Sounds like 'weak' to me.

Sounds like democracy to me. The Tweede Kamer has always the last say. He has to work with a four party coalition which does not make it easy. It is not like the UK's second chamber where parties issue whips.

Erm. You were the one who was complaining that Rutte's hand was being unduly forced by the 'mask lobby' - and now you call that democracy. So I guess your problem is with NL Democracy. Perhaps the NL isn't that great after all?

Here we go misinterpretation. You are claiming something I never said which is quite usual for you. Sorry end of discussion. Satisfied you scored your point; typical Brit mentality.

Don't be racist. What am I ascribing to you that you haven't said exactly? I might accept that I'm saying something you didn't mean, which would only mean that you weren't clear, but I don't think I've misrepresented what you actually posted. It's right there in the quotes.

[Scot Dutchy]

When is calling someone a Brit racist?

[pErvinalia]

When you ascribe a "mentality" to it.

[Brian Peacock]

When is calling someone a Brit racist?

When you say, "All those people, they're all the same," and then dismiss, disregard, downgrade, and/or denigrate them on that basis.

[Svartalf]

can't either, the pretty ladies all make me prick up.

[Scot Dutchy]

When is calling someone a Brit racist?

When you say, "All those people, they're all the same," and then dismiss, disregard, downgrade, and/or denigrate them on that basis.

So all the lovely negative comments about me and this country are not.

[Brian Peacock]

When is calling someone a Brit racist?

When you say, "All those people, they're all the same," and then dismiss, disregard, downgrade, and/or denigrate them on that basis.

So all the lovely negative comments about me and this country are not.

After you've pointed out where I've said all Dutch people are of the same low type you can turn to answering the question - or not if you orefer.

[JimC]

I don't think that the term "Brit mentality" is in any way racist...

Just an example of wild over-generalisation...

[NineBerry]

Finger pointed at Swiss yodelling 'superspreader' concert


The coronavirus pandemic has not deterred the Swiss from sending yodels echoing across their mountain valleys, but a concert attended by 600 people is believed to have made one canton a European virus hotspot.

At the late September yodelling event in the rural Schwyz canton, people in the audience were asked to maintain social distancing, but mask-wearing was not required.

"We can't do anything about what happened with this yodelling group. We found out nine days after the performances that several people from the group were infected," event organiser Beat Hegner told RTS public television.

Now the pandemic has spread through the region, with 1,238 cases compared with just 500 in mid-September.

On Wednesday alone, 94 people tested positive, twice as many as the day before.

The overloaded cantonal hospital has asked people to begin wearing masks and avoiding gatherings.

"There's an extremely high rate of positive tests. We've gone from 30 to 50 percent," hospital chief Franziska Foellmi said.

https://amp.france24.com/en/live-news/2 ... er-concert

[Sean Hayden]

Think of the devastation had they not been allowed to yodel! How many yodel enthusiasts have already taken their own lives at the thought of one day being unable to yodel in groups, for like, maybe a little while? --shudder

[JimC]

All those lonely goatherds...

[NineBerry]

[JimC]

They don't have to be that lonely, with all those goats around...

[pErvinalia]

I don't think that the term "Brit mentality" is in any way racist...

Just an example of wild over-generalisation...

It's certainly bigotted.