Postcard From Southern Europe, Where Mask Wearing is Almost Universal
A Daily Sceptic reader has just returned from a trip to Spain and Italy and has sent us this guest post. Depressing reading.
One of the lovelier benefits to travel is the perspective it lends to life at home. Usually, this revolves around how the British sky and food is more dull than we realise, but after two recent trips to Spain and Italy one would be forgiven for thinking that Blighty is a post-Covid, liberal, free-thinking nirvana.
Both countries in question reported big Covid numbers – broadly in line with ours. Now both have similar vaccination levels and both are reporting broadly similar case daily numbers too. Their supine adoption of the ‘passport’ has been relatively well documented but but to walk the streets or beaches in either is to see a population cowed by face mask legislation. Masks are obligatory more or less everywhere indoors but it is the manner of their adoption which makes it all the more depressing.
Two nationalities (which one might playfully suggest are known for their selective application of some rules) have taken to the wearing of masks with quiet supplication. When viewed with the rapid dropping of masks we are enjoying at home this makes for a most depressing spectacle.
The farcical insistence that a face mask is worn when walking from a beach bed to a bar is barely credible yet the adherence is almost total. Equally, to see a solitary, masked parking attendant standing in a country lane is absurd as it is worrying.
The beautiful and ancient Fallas of Valancia this year were reconvened after the pandemic, but despite taking place in deserted streets the participants were still required to wear masks alongside their fabulous costumes.
Of course, there is the human element, our children grumbled at wearing a mask – it was uncomfortable, new for them and scary – and were barely challenged when they did not. But the fact remains that every other child was happily going about with a mini-mask strapped to their face.
One wonders if this can be traced back to their lockdowns. Neither country closed schools to any great extent but children were required to wear masks at school. Equally, neither had such a wholesale adoption of home-working as here and while offices opened earlier than in the U.K., many people wore masks at their desks and were often banned from using meeting rooms, asked instead to use virtual conferencing with their colleagues a few yards away.
I cannot comment on the mask hesitancy or counter-arguments that have been made – of which I am sure there have been many, but writing this in a charming pizzeria in Milan I note that I was reminded to wear my mask by two people upon arrival and had my temperature taken to walk the 10 paces from the door to the terrace – whereupon my mask is not required.
If it wasn’t so sad it would be funny.
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Sad? No, it’s monstrous.
And evil.
Brainwashed…
You do not know just how true that is.
There are protests but not enough. Now DeWaffle Johnson is spouting climate nonsense
You are being lied to! My son is dead, he took the vaccine.
The Vaccine give her son blood clots in the head
https://t.me/astandintheparkbracknell/9391
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– with a couple of guest speakers and a stroll thought the town centre at the end
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It is also deeply depressing, though.
Indeed
Sad is not the right word
This article is frankly pure BS, I was in Malta during the summer… yes mask were seen, but did I wear one… NO mostly not. Ditto in Sicily… and Crotone southern Italia… where the under 30s were full bore on “passeggiata” and were droves of them keeling over from the plague from these nightly super-spreader beach-side events… ergh? Nope.
Ditto Corfu and Greece… for sure in Athens more of the mask clad could be seen… if over 50s…but the vast majority of people know this is BS and act OLD NORMAL accordingly…
These current case number uplifts are vaxx related not wild variant whu-flu driven…
Watch and learn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdI7tgKLtA
Meanwhile this weeks Kunstler is a must:
https://kunstler.com/clusterfuck-nation/and-then-everything-happens-at-once/
No. On the whole it’s Not BS. I’m currently in southern Spain and when indoors in 98% of establishments you must wear a face mask. A few, very few, establishments are quietly ignoring it. Since june 23rd the spanish have not been required to wear masks outside. Yet, depressingly the majority still cling to wearing face masks outdoors. It will take a very long time for the insidious covid group think to loosen its hold over people’s psyche of fear.
They. Strap. Plasticised. Gags. To. Their. Faces. In. 90 degree Heat.
Morons.
It’s mainly the fear of social disapproval. Everybody knows there is no virus. But you must be seen to be doing your part.
It may well be the case where you are visiting in southern Spain Raquel, but rest assured the whole of Spain isn’t like that. I have been retired here on the Costa Azahar (Valencia region) for over 20 years, and yes, ‘covidiocy’ is amply demonstrated by dyed-in-the-wool mask wearers, proving the Abe Lincoln maxim to be true: “You can fool some of the people all of the time” (eg lone mask wearers driving their car).
Since the lifting of the alfresco mask mandate in june I am heartened to report that beaches here are virtually mask free zones. Bar terraces ditto. Yes, if you wish to drink inside, or visit the loo some establishments insist on masking, but most can’t be arsed imposing such nonsense. Long may it continue.
I am an unjabbed, healthy septugenarian and shall forgo my beloved globe-trotting, believing it a small price to pay to avoid becoming a lab-rat.
The experience from Spain is masks are warn indoors it is obligatory. Marks are warn where social distancing cannot be obtained. So the rules are there. It is simply not worth the effort to pull down your mask if and when you can keep a distance. Only to pull it up when you are approaching others.
It is not bullpoo.
Face masks everywhere in Finland. 99% compliance? Schoolkids aged 12 up have been getting the jabbings for the past 5 weeks. Everyone in Finland thinks the ‘vaccines’ are great and believe everything the government tells them.
Spain counted any death with a positive PCR at any time, i.e. no cut off, as a Covid death.
https://mobile.twitter.com/plaforscience/status/1438633874477682691
It’s in official documents.
That also explains wild regional variations as you’d expect viral spread to be largely uniform across a nation, and, if not, it points to data issues (or manipulation)
Unfortunately, the people of Italy and Spain, within living memory, have lived under totalitarian regimes – it’s something they have been conditioned to accept.
True. And so has most of Europe. But I see absolutely no fundamental difference here (pace the granting of (some) mask ‘freedom’). That is what is massively depressing – the ease with which totalitarian police states have emerged across the board with scarcely a murmur of protest.
I am preparing myself against the urge to vomit when I see the usual knee-jerk wearing of poppies in October (the competitive virtue-signalling gets earlier by the year) by the zombies who have absolutely no fucking idea what it’s all about. Watch the masked bands of hypocrites at the Cenotaph insulting the dead by tremulously wearing masks as wreaths are laid.
‘Land of the Free’ – be buggered.
It’s been hypocritical since March 2020. My two grandfathers who fought at the Somme must be turning in their graves.
I now understand vividly the US second amendment. The founding fathers were pretty alert to what might go wrong and what checks and balances it needed to reduce the risk.
I have to say that the Second Amendment has bugger all to do with anything relevant today – it’s a much misunderstood and abused provision from a different time and circumstance that has altered nothing in the US.
But the capitulation to totalitarianism is shameful – the equivalent, not of a remembrance of sacrifice for freedom from tyranny, but as the equivalent of handing out cups of tea to the Wehrmacht as they came ashore at Dover.
Unless there is a SIGNIFICANT change between now and November 11 I will NOT be attending a ‘Remembrance Day’ service. The stench of hypocrisy is overwhelming. I really feel for our Rector who fought in thje army and has done everything he can to defy the nonsense but he will be obliged to lead the Remembrance service.
Frankly, it will be sickening, particularly the sight of those despicable politicians who have caused this mess. It should be noted very clearly that it is NOT covid that has caused all this trouble; it is the RESPONSE to covid. Any politician, civil servant, clergyman (or woman) or television or newspaper reporter that attempts to blame ‘covid’ is lying.
I wonder if the Beeb will show the footage of Blow Job drunkenly swaying at the Cenotaph from a couple of years ago? It would be the most appropriate image for the times.
Spot on RH – re: 11am, 11.11.1918, could not have put it more cogently if I tried.
Lazy comment.
Spain has a constitution that has ultimately safeguarded people’s rights. After a constitutional court process, lockdowns have been declared unconstitutional and therefore illegal. They will no longer be allowed.
In Britain, Parliament can do what it wants and is. A legal challenge of lockdowns has been a complete failure. There may yet be another lockdown.
When are Brits going to get off their cultural high horse and stop resorting to tired old narratives?
“In Britain, Parliament can do what it wants …”
This should read :
“In Britain, the Executive can do what it wants …”
That is the crucial issue. Parliament is essentially irrelevant.
Actually, Parliament can literally enact any legislation with a simple majority.
The executive is doing what it wants because Parliament has allowed it to by enacting the Coronavirus Act.
Many of the worst excesses have used the public health act rather than the coronavirus act – in ways which the government which passed it clearly never envisaged, but unless the courts rein them in (and they show no sign of doing so), there’s nothing to stop them.
Yes…….the PHA 1984, allows the government to quarantine ‘infectious people’.
That is exactly what Hancock did……only he decided to call people with +ve PCR-tests, but no symptoms ‘infectious’…….so easily done eh?
I am pretty sure that when Thatcher’s government drafted the legislation, bu ‘infectious’ it meant TB, small-pox, plague etc. and wanted to enable forced quarantine of those carrying a really deadly disease.
Note too though that the PHA 1984 only allows the government to institute measures that are PROPORTIONATE to the the intended aim.
Note too that the PHA specifically DISALLOWS mandatory jabs.
You massively overestimate the independence of parliament.
Sorry – you’re just wrong.
Hey-up the finger Jerk’s out of the burrow again!
Amd Parliament has voted for its own demise. Ignorant and stupid MPs are nearly as guilty as traitorous government ministers.
Yeh …. but … What can be done to alter this?
Writing an e-mail to your MP or signing an on-line petition always work well.
Sorry EF, that is wholly dependant on the moral, ethical and independently minded calibre of one’s MP – sadly very wanting in my case – please see the reproduced response from my MP in the comment to the first article today – I suspect this is a Cabinet Office/CS penned round robin made available to MPs who are bombarded with constituents concerns and cannot be arsed to respond individually.
“Am I right, Sir?”
Take two reality tablets upon waking with a large glass of cynicism.
Spain has a constitution that has ultimately safeguarded people’s rights
Hmmm, is that why Madrid sent riot police from Seville to Barcelona to beat up people voting in an independence referendum?
Is that why a dozen or elected Catalan politicians were convicted of trumped up charges of sedition…….and handed incredibly long and disproportionate prison sentences?
Lazy thinking?
Why were the charges “trumped up”? It’s pretty clear they were guilty of exactly what they were accused of.
The issue of Catalan secession is not straightforward. There are arguments on both sides, as is often the case in such situations.
But I find it extremely difficult to take supposed “nationalists” seriously if their stated objective is merely to shift their nation’s external allegiance from an existing capital to Brussels, and submerge it in the emerging Euro superstate.
Fake nationalists, like the SNP jokers.
Nope, you are wrong……..it was not illegal to organise such a referendum.
They were charged, as I understand it, with “sedition”, “rebellion” and “misuse of public funds”.
On the face if it I’d say they appeared to have been arguably guilty of exactly those things (not saying that they were definitely guilty as a matter of law, just that the charges seem perfectly plausible based on their actions).
If they were real nationalists rather than Euro-apologists, they might have a moral leg to stand on, at least. But it’s apparent that their posturing as “nationalists” is purely for show.
A lazy comment? Does that make it any less true? And what does the mass wearing of masks indicate?
The court ruling that the state of alarm is unconstitutional was a play on words. It concluded that the government should have resorted to a state of emergency, not a state of alarm.The court voted six against five and found that such a lockdown should have been imposed under the next level of emergency situation under Spanish law, the state of emergency. This would have required the prior approval of the lower house of parliament, the Congress of Deputies. Article 116 of the Spanish Constitution describes three legal categories for emergency situations: state of alarm, state of emergency and state of siege. The lockdown saw Spaniards confined to their homes apart from for essential activities such as buying food. A few were allowed to carry on working too. The ruling was complicated but one point came out was of the serious drawbacks to a state of emergency would have been the more severe restrictions on fundamental rights that it would have brought with it. A state of emergency is subject to less oversight, and allows the police to increase the time that they can detain people from three to 10 days with no judicial supervision. Police can also enter homes… Read more »
Throughout the Franco era, Spain had a constitution which guaranteed fundamental freedoms.
On paper.
If you toed the line.
And didn’t ask what was going on in the cells under the police building.
And they, like us, have voted in a socialist regime.
Have they the same mentality as before WW11? Whereas the British were kicking against it. My son tells me masks are optional inside his large office block and he rarely sees them, the policy was to encourage people to come back into the office.
Wait till the end of October.
Yes, we are in the lull before the inevitable storm, that all thinkers know they plotting.
“Whereas the British were kicking against it”
No they weren’t. The official policy was in effect to tacitly support Franco by the tactic of saying nowt. A slice of the establishment at large didn’t much mind Hitler, either.
I’m afraid the history isn’t entirely glorious.
It was individuals who rallied to the cause of democratic freedom. See the extensive literature.
Not worth going to any of these backward places, until or if they get a grip of themselves and the same goes for the compliant airline industry.
Backward eh?
Spaniards have at no time been barred from leaving the country. In “advanced” Britain the government made foreign travel illegal.
Lazy article, lazy editorial work, lazy comments.
I didn’t say Britain is advanced, it isn’t. However for me, it is not worthwhile to jump through expensive and bodily invasive hoops just to go somewhere where masks are still the order of the day. If you think that’s okay, then fine go ahead and mask up.
Yes, I went to exchange some unused foreign currency the other day that I’ve had since 2019.
The woman asked when I’d fly again; I said there’s no way I’d voluntarily pay to sit on a plane wearing a mask. Ditto subways, cafes or airports.
Virgin Atlantic have been emailing me for most of the pandemic trying to encourage me to fly to the Caribbean. To calm my fears, they say they’ll give me a health pack containing hand gels, surface wipes and medical-grade masks “we will require you to wear yours at all times on the plane”.
They failed to persuade me.
Your facts are all wrong.
Spain doesn’t require more “bodily invasive hoops” to jump through than the UK. Actually, less. To leave, to arrive in and to live in.
No one living in Spain can be compelled to do a test or stay in their homes. The constitutional court has made it very clear.
Not the case in the UK. To not isolate is a criminal offense.
I’m afraid to say Brits are too often badly informed and arrogant with respect to other places, especially “southern Europe”
You may not have to do tests but in some areas you ahve to ahvea Covid passort to enter bars. No vaticination? that will mean a test.
Bloody auto spill cheque.
The only region that has tried to implement it is Galicia and it is being challenged in court.
Andalucia tried it and the courts struck it down.
Meanwhile in Britain, judges wave through every draconian government measure.
That’s just the facts, which to judge from some comments on here, some are finding hard to digest.
That just isn’t true. The regions that have tried it have been met with legal challenges and have either been struck down or are in the process of being struck down.
Which areas please?
This is the thing. We haven’t got mandated vaccine passports, the whole of the government is foregoing mask wearing in Parliament while the opposition signal their virtue. Schools are back, without masking and optional testing. I will grant you there is still a very insidious coercion around vaccines but it really is nothing like Europe, America, Israel, NZ, Aus etc etc. The bedwetters in government have been marginalised in favour of CRG sympathisers. And there is a drip drip of people realising that the vaccines inefficiency at preventing infection and transmission makes passports absurd. I am still extremely worried about ADE, not least because all my family and friends have fallen for the bollocks, but we are not in a bad place in England, relative to the rest of the world apart from Sweden and Denmark.
This is where I am. My view/fear though is that our betters in the state blob are regrouping and concocting ways to enforce on us the measures being seen in AU, Canada, France etc. I do hope I’m wrong but I just don’t see how we’ve had a pass from the latest nonsense seen elsewhere.
I think it is partly down to this forum which is read by the likes Of JHB, Pearson and others with a bit of backbone in the media, plus the likes of Fysh and Baker on the Tory back benches. The Lib Dems are late to the party whilst the Labour Party have backed the wrong horse again and are hiding behind their masks.
Agrred, IMO the current relaxation is just a temporary reprieve. Another few weeks and we’ll be back in lockdown and masks. And the passports will spread.
It seems to me the real rulers are dictating different restrictions in different countries to test what they can get away with, a social experiment which would make Stanley Milgram proud.
“I will grant you there is still a very insidious coercion around vaccines, but …”
Thank you Polyanna, for that reassurance from the La La Land Broadcasting Corporation. I’m glad you’ve pointed out the difference between being in shit up to the eyeballs from being in it up to the eyebrows.
Meanwhile … the coercion for the snake oil reaches 12-year olds, whilst the majority of the nation turns over and snores, and Blow Job prepares the ground for the Winter Campaign …
Need I go on?
Don’t get me wrong, I think the mass vaccination of healthy people with a leaky vaccine could turn out to be an even more stupid decision than lockdown, but we aren’t seeing coercion of kids to be vaccinated on anything like the level we did adults. It still isn’t great, by any stretch, but England is, at the moment, in a much better place, related to all this bollocks, than most of the rest of the world. There is still a long way to go to win this fight but scepticism is finally starting to get some proper traction in England, you only have to walk around Tesco’s to see that.
Depends what Tesco. Mask wearing inside all supermarkets in my area is still at an extremely high level. Granted, very slowly, more people are ditching their muzzles but I fear once autumn gets into full swing the government will ramp up the mask message again and we will very quickly reverse back to almost 100% compliance.
My local Tesco is now down to about a third wearing face nappies. M&S Food still at about 50%.
It’ll only take a bit of opening of the scaremonger tap to push those numbers well back up again,
Let them. We know that there never was and never will be any legal, moral or logical reason to wear one, so we’re eternally exempt and can forever feel the breeze against our chins!
I live in the most middle-class virtue-signalling Guardian-reading XR-supporting commuter town in northern England and have been in a minority of one throughout the so-called pandemic when in Tesco’s. But even here there’s been a distinct change over recent weeks. Thus spoiling my fun; I no longer look brave and defiant.. doh!
So here’s the odd thing. Last Friday evening, I spent a fabulous night at a bar in my home town where they had a live band on playing hits from the 80’s (it was my music era growing up so forgive me for enjoying it). It was hot, sweaty and crowded…people queuing three deep and shoulder to shoulder at the bar…people dancing like drunken lunatics (yes, I was one, so sue me) and not a f*cking mask in sight. Only two days later, in my local Waitrose I saw at least two people who had been at that bar and who danced all night with wild abandon dutifully wearing masks whilst shopping. What the f*ck is all that about? I despair.
People associate going into shops with wearing masks, ditto getting on trains. It’s habit now.
“we aren’t seeing coercion of kids to be vaccinated on anything like the level we did adults. “
Sorry – but the steps taken so far are massively coercive – and completely political, with no real medical cover.
I’ve been thinking that just this afternoon, whilst walking round Tesco’s in fact. Masks definitely on the decline and even older people, patronisingly referred to in the new paradigm as “vulnerable” seem to be forgoing them. Although I share the fear that the enemy will come back harder in the autumn, I can’t help feeling that some of the momentum has been lost. Any way never mind masks, the nation’s children are about to be poisoned; let’s concentrate on that for now.
“We” are about to have social credit score apps (“vaxxports”) imposed at the start of October.
Scotchland and Wales are just the dry runs for the imposition in England when they’ve decided which statistic to tweak next.
The vaxxport system is already in place and being used “voluntarily” by some venues.
They’re coming, and I’m surprised at anyone here being naïve enough to believe otherwise.
On the other hand, some Aussie testicular fortitude:
https://twitter.com/DifficultNerd/status/1440231179240697859
I’m not sure how this ever ends to be honest.
Why, of course it ends with your smart phone recording your CO2 emissions and awarding you social credit points that limit your life options accordingly.
“ big Covid numbers”
Yes – well – we all know about those! The winner of the medical Booker Prize two years running!
But, don’t celebrate the relative ‘freedom’ of this country. Those of us outside the monkey cage see a rather different picture.
True – there has been a dropping of mask compulsion here, and it is good to note the consequent freedom of masks in certain common settings. Bit this is but the exposed tip of an iceberg.
But, as I illustrated yesterday, the psychosis is still riding high in terms of it’s voluntary application in indoor settings under the umbrella of ‘safety’ measures. The majority of the population remain programmed to quite a profound level.
Never forget the temporary freedom has its purpose – to convince the majority that the few critics were “all wrong all along” and that they are following along voluntarily. With that accomplished the whipping will be resumed shortly.
But, but, but……..we were told, “Get jabbed and everything can go back to normal”.
But…they kind of forget to mention that you will NEVER be fully jabbed!
Always one more!
HotelHospital California.Not a very accurate picture.
Spain has no vaxx passports at all, of any kind. And masks now only required indoors, not outdoors. No temperature checks anywhere, never have been.
People do voluntarily wear masks in more instances than are required. That is for sure.
No Covid passports?
Read this.
https://spanishnewstoday.com/over-21-million-covid-passports-already-issued-in-spain_1638253-a.html
https://www.eleconomista.es/actualidad/noticias/11393868/09/21/Sera-obligatorio-presentar-el-pasaporte-Covid-para-entrar-en-los-bares-y-discotecas-de-Galicia.html
The Spanish have the EU Covid/Vaccine Passport. Been in use since June.
https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en
It’s a certificate of vaccination. Britain has them too.
The constitution does not allow them to be used in the country in any way that limits people’s rights.
This does not mean that governments and officials have not tried. But unlike in Britain where the judiciary has just stood aside, in Spain the courts and most importantly the constitutional court which is the highest in the country, have stopped the violation of constitutionally granted rights.
This is perhaps what really distinguishes Spain from Britain and perhaps other countries. In Spain, there are a number of fundamental rights which are enshrined in a constitution that cannot be changed by a simple parliamentary majority.
I think most Brits simply don’t understand that and draw instead from obsolete, tired old narratives about plucky freedom loving Brits and downtrodden southern Europeans with longstanding illiberal tendencies.
It might be true of Italians, but it’s certainly not the case of Spain.
Absolutely agree.
Something is kicking off down under ….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCIWfRmZ-Ww
The bundling of Spain and Italy into one as if these two countries are doing the same things nd can be judged together does the Daily Sceptic very little credit.
Absolutely true.Spain,apart from masks,is a totally different country.No coercive vaccination,no Covidpassport and open and in practice no SD. Italy seems to be utterly different with no Constitutional Court protecting them as in Spain.
To further add to the depression is that Toby still refers to this scam as a pandemic. This despite countless articles produced and linked to by this site proving there was no such thing.
And what’s the situation with travelling to the likes of Spain these days? Is being double-jabbed a requirement?
Well … its a case of the ‘elastic dictionary’.
It is a ‘pandemic’ – by virtue of the WHO excluding an assessment of mortality as part of the definition.
Of course – this is now a strange circumstance, whereby a ‘pandemic’ doesn’t reach official levels defined as ‘epidemic’!
No. Spain does not mandate vaccines.
Based on a the comments and reactions on here, I’m a bit disappointed at how unwilling British people are to be corrected when their facts and judgements are way off.
Qué?
Hilarious. While you rely on a fictional character created by a British comic for your mockery, Spaniards who want to look down on Brits use the very real British drunken louts in Mallorca who from time to time fall off balconies trying stupid stunts.
“The Spanish government requires all arrivals to Spain from the UK to present on entry a pre-travel declaration form and one of the following: a negative COVID-19 test* or proof of vaccination.”
*free tests from the NHS not valid – only those you have to pay for. The NHS tests are obviously fake. Ali Baba’s PCR-test-for-£99-my-friend is the only thing that will see you right.
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.collinsongroup.com?stars=1
This would be England too, if Labour were in charge of Covid policy. A lot of people would be happy with it too. See their MPs in the House of Commons, and Sadiq Khan wanting it to be a criminal offence not to wear a mask on a bus again. Masks forever ‘To keep us all safe’.
Some real anger building up in Australia.
And rightly so, when a trade union, of all things, fails to stand firmly to protect its members against lockdowns and coerced injection with a dangerous, experimental treatment
The unions failed utterly in this country, largely captured by the panickers from the beginning, and it looks as though they failed as completely in Australia.
Hopefully these kinds of responses will force them to confront what is really going on.
https://twitter.com/InProportion2/status/1440251707020267520
Victorian construction industry shut down after tradies’ violent protest outside union
The union leadership smeared dissenters as extremists (doubtless some of them were, but extremism in defence of liberty is no vice), of course, and claimed to have been “blind-sided”:
“Mr Setka said he did not back vaccinations being mandated, despite protesters claiming the union was wrongfully supporting the government’s decision.
“We were blind-sighted by some of the Department of Health’s recommendations last week,” he said.
“How all of a sudden it’s our fault is beyond me.
“We’re virtually being blamed for everything.””
This is the one MELBOURNE PROTEST video they don’t want you to see
Great video report on the Melbourne construction workers’ protest yesterday (posted previously by AN other lockdown sceptic above).
“One thing I’ve gotta say is to the nation of Australia, as a union member, I’m so sorry that we didn’t stand up for all those shopkeepers and all those other people that’ve been trampled upon, and I feel disgusted that we were allowed to work during that time. .. But let’s stand up as a nation. This is bullshit what’s going on, and don’t be tricked by the media, by the lies and the deceit.”
99% of people will only care once it affects them. The vast majority on here are making their own lives miserable for those 99% and they could give a fuck most days.
“The unions failed utterly in this country, largely captured by the panickers from the beginning“
Actually this goes a little too far. While it’s correct I think to say that they failed utterly at the crucial time, when lockdowns were imposed, and most, like the teaching unions, were strongly on the wrong side of the issues, nevertheless I have seen some reports of them coming out against coerced vaccination.
Too little too late, but at least they are not all wholeheartedly pushing the evil.
The unions in this country have been a cowardly disgrace.
The leaders of the teaching unions have clearly been bought and have connived with the government in seeking to destroy the education system in this country along with the mental health of school children and students.
Union leaderships are stuffed full of Quislings and in many cases outright traitors.
The position of Trade Unions in this country throughout the Scam is indefensible. Quite simply they have failed their members and are guilty of dereliction of duty as a minimum.
“Union leader John Setka has been accused of assaulting his wife, Emma Walters, in an alleged incident this week which has left Ms Walters saying she has fears for her safety.”
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/john-setka-investigated-over-alleged-domestic-violence-assault-20210827-p58mdi.html
Nice guy.
“Union leader John Setka has been accused of assaulting his wife, Emma Walters, in an alleged incident this week which has left Ms Walters saying she has fears for her safety.
In a sworn statement to police, Ms Walters – a high-profile lawyer and mother of two — says that after an argument on Wednesday night, Mr Setka, the Victorian secretary of the CFMEU, became violent and repeatedly hit her head against a table leaving her with a bruised forehead.”
“John was out of control. He hit my head against the table about five times,” the statement said. “It was very painful. John is a lot bigger and stronger than me and he can totally physically control me. When he loses his temper, there isn’t anything I can do but submit to him”
“In 2019, Mr Setka was convicted of harassing Ms Walters and breaching court orders after more than 25 calls and 45 text messages in which he called her a “weak f—en piece of shit” and a “treacherous Aussie f—en c—” and a “f—en dog”.”
Yet here on the south coast of England the beach is one place I go for a walk to avoid seeing any muzzled zombies.
It has been rare all along during this insanity to see any muzzled here at the beach, with a very occasional exception, which is why I choose to seek sanctuary here from the muzzled.
Also now people usually manage to avoid the the “Scalded Cat Sidestep” dance routine when passing you too, which is gratifying.
And they smile at you when you walk past, saying hello. I watched the Australian press release yesterday where Gladys Berejiklian stood there wearing a mask as she blatantly lied on national TV about how the vaccine cuts transmission dramatically (maybe 7% as reported here). Behind her these faceless people all wearing masks. They think they are free?
Yes I do get a few smiles and even an occasional short chat.
I must admit that I find masks creepy – always have done.
When I see what is happening in Aus. I sometimes think I must be dreaming.
They certainly aren’t free.
Mask? More like tent! Have you seen the size of her conk!!
The Pinocchio Effect!
I read the article and already wondered why the author is making his children wear masks or does so himself.
I am also quite sure that children were not at school for a very long time, and even not allowed out for a long a long period of time.
Then I get to the end and the author is Toby Young. My heart sank. I am so glad he provided this platform last year, and for the swamp on reddit, but this site is loosing momentum each day.
“Then I get to the end and the author is Toby Young“
The byline on this site is usually just whoever posts the article up, not necessarily the writer.
They don’t give the author of this piece, but the text at the beginning indicates that it wasn’t written by Young. Says it’s a “guest post” by a Sceptic reader
Schools were indeed closed in Italy for a long time, and there is talking of them closing again.
This is not written from Toby’s experience. It is stated in the first line that it is a guest writer.
If it is law to wear a mask or the alternative is to get a huge fine. Then I think the way forward is to wear that mask. Or not to visit said location.
for the person who voted me down. It is a 100€ fine per person per event.
https://www.noticiastrabajo.es/fin-estado-alarma-multa-no-llevar-mascarilla/
That is on the street.
If you are in a vehicle with no cohabiting and not wearing a mask the fine increases. Plus you are limited to the number of no cohabiting persons in said vehicle unless it is public transport. Regulations on how to store masks too.
https://www.lasprovincias.es/sociedad/avisa-importante-multa-20210325085303-nt.html
Sorry folks you have to use your favourite translator for these links.
With these two examples you can see why the Spanish cower down and accpt things the way they are. Yes some are cheesed off. But being fined for a number, of some would say minor issues, added up in one stop-check does not make you want to be a hero.
Sainsbury’s just now, 80% masked zombies.
Well it was 98% a few months ago.
Other supermarkets are available where it’s down as low as 50-60%.
Unfortunately, just over the border, Wales remains a masked state.
Why don’t the Welsh just tell the government to fuck off? Or just ignore their government?
Unfortunately, this chimes with a friend of mine who has just returned from Spain saying she loved the ‘rules’ and that she felt considerably safer there than in the U.K. These people are still essentially calling the shots.
The desire to fit in is the main driver of all human behavior. The manipulators are fully aware of it, and that’s precisely what mandates are designed for – to reach a critical mass after which dissenting individuals start believing that they are the odd one out. That’s also why they have patriotic music played in public spaces every day in North Korea and the affirmations of love to dear leader. It looks silly and artificial, and outsiders cannot conceive how people can be so dumb to conform to such enforced rituals. But now you understand, it works.
By successfully applying peer pressure you can control people very effectively, the main difficulty is in the beginning to establish such as system – you need a catalyst – but when it’s online, it just keeps on rolling. Just like a ponzi scheme which recruits ever more participants based on its “success”.
What the Covid/Lockdown/Mask/’Vaccine’ era has shown is that there is nothing new under the psychological sun. The Covid mania is giving us a confirmation of three seminal psychology theories – B. F. Skinner on conditioning (see people still don the mask when and where they haven’t been ‘mandated’ to do so), Soloman Asch on conformity (do not stand out from the crowd) and, of course, Stanley Milgram on obedience to authority (people in white coats with Professor/Dr. in front of their name must be obeyed because of their medical ‘wisdom’). Our health overlords are working, consciously or otherwise, to this script.
And this it with there being no evidence that masks make much difference at all.
Science is dead. This is religion.
It’s fear of social disapproval.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1440216658245603336
Nice
Excellent.
“President of Croatia says they are done jabbing. They are not going to do it any more.”
Maybe it’s an example of politicians having gone mad in crowds, and recovering one by one…?
How long can it be before Croatia joins Syria, Iraq, Libya, and a host of others on the list of pariah states meriting US attack?
He pretty much anticipates it with his comment: they can close us with a wire.
What a legend.
When in Lanzarote earlier this year, masks were obligatory outside except in the country ( not defined). Now the obligation is removed. Restaurants and bars are fully open inside and out as its at the Canary Island level 1 restrictions. We are returning in the New Year so will report back, but I suspect the high Brit element on the island will ensure its returned more or less to normal with the exception of the masks in supermarkets. Given France restrictions this seems mild now. Anyway later today we start the first leg of our ‘great escape’ to De Santis land. Just in time as it turns out, November would have seen our plans scuppered thanks to the Biden WH ‘vaccine’ push. First a quick jump to Madrid where we officially enter Spain for one night, only to reenter the airport tomorrow to fly to Panama. Antigens were negative, Spanish Health QR codes obtained, Panamanian Health QR codes obtained. Flights checked in online. Then 14 days in Panama which will be fine, ‘masks are mandatory though, and it will be wet! Then another antigen test, and flight to Tampa. Then as soon as we leave the airport its masks in… Read more »
Before you go back you can check on this website about what paperwork is need to fly into Spain. Plus you can read what regulations are in the area you wish to visit.
https://travelsafe.spain.info/en/
At the moment it states that in the CIs
From 26th June, the face mask will not be mandatory in outdoor spaces as long as you can respect social distancing. However, the face mask will be mandatory in indoor or closed spaces, including public transport.Social distancing is 1.5m.
There is all sort of other crap about capacities and that will depend on level alert and type of establishment.
As a Brit who has been living and working in Italy for over 10 years I feel reasonably qualified to comment on the current situation here, which is nothing less than a medical dictatorship. Some Brits may feel a certain sense of security or even pride in the fact that they suddenly seem rather “free” compared to some of their European neighbours. Alas anybody who has been paying even the slightest bit of attention throughout this show will surely realise that all will be leveled out sooner or later. I would generally agree with the writer as far as Italy is concerned, there are still large swathes of people who choose to suffer a useless mask under the 35 degree sun while out in open air. Indoors they are still required in all situations, exceptions made for the covid safe actions of drinking at a bar or eating in a restaurant, but not strangely enough for any child above 5 years of age in a classroom. Apparently schooling isn’t a safe exercise unless everybody is masked and all staff have their “green pass”. The writer is far off the mark with their comment about children not missing school, as a… Read more »
For a reason not yet clear, Italy has been the front runner in most of the draconian moves. The Spectator article seemed to capture the reason why its been used in this manner. As you rightly say, its been used, and others quickly follow when the trial has proved yet again ‘we didn’t realise we could get away with that’.
I think it’s related to the fact that it got the first scare, with the virus imported soon after Wuhan – and panicked, displaying wet pants on washing lines all over the place.
Saner analysis revealed that the initial mortality related to older people and (probably) – as in Spain, household composition.
But, as we know, the updating of intelligence just doesn’t happen when Covid stalks.
Good post! Thanks!
Excellent post thank you
Useful post, thank you.
I’m currently in southern Spain. Costa del Sol. No one is wearing masks on the beach. They’re warn inside in supermarkets etc. Waiters wear them but they don’t enforce diners to wear them. Some people do though
For anyone on here willing to be confronted by an honest comparison between Spain and the UK in its performance during this coronavirus horror show (that’s what this article is about, after all) here is the reality. From the point of view of crazy out of proportion measures Spain has outdone the UK in only two things. 1. Masks. They continue to have them indoors. And had them outdoors when the UK never mandated outdoor masks. 2. The first lockdown. Spain went nuts and made it very difficult for people to go out for a period of 8 weeks. In every other respect Spain has been an island of sanity where the UK has lost it’s mind. Schools have been fully operational since September 2020 without interruption Bars, restaurants and shops have for the most part been open since the spring 2020 lockdown No restrictions on entering and leaving the country No talk of vaccine passports No sidestepping parents to vaccinate children Most importantly, the draconian measures of the first lockdown were taken to court and ultimately declared anticonstitutional and so they cannot be repeated. Britain is a bastion of freedom compared to “southern Europeans” only in the badly informed… Read more »
“Most importantly, the draconian measures of the first lockdown were taken to court and ultimately declared anticonstitutional and so they cannot be repeated.”
This for me also is arguably the most important.
I accept your points but there is a concern (to me) that continued wearing of masks is the price Spaniards and Italians are prepared to pay for what they consider to be ‘normality’. There is nothing about the ‘pandemic’ that I would accept as a condition to normal living and social conditions. That is not say the U.K is any kind of superior example, as it isn’t, as virtually everywhere seems a long way off normal and with no encouraging signs that they ever will be.
I hate masks. I have little to no respect for those that wear them. My stomach turns at the thought that they will be with us for a long time in some for or other. No argument from me on the monstrosity that are masks.
Having said that, vaccine passports worry me much more. Vaccine passports cement the principle that you have to prove your health status to participate in society. They represent the end of the most basic freedom and mark our complete enslavement to the state. I don’t think I exaggerate one iota.
As horrible as masks are, I can see them gradually disappearing. Once we have health passports, they will be almost impossible to roll back.
In that respect Spain is ahead of most countries that I am aware of, at least for now, in that the constitution prohibits any such discrimination. The constitution could be changed, but that would not be easy. Conversely, I see the imposition of digital IDs in the UK within a trojan horse NHS app as a virtual certainty.
The first England lockdown was for ten weeks.
Read what you have written. You have just made a defence case for one set of violations on humans being better than another Governments set of violations. Its rather like saying the Robber who robbed me only broke my 2 Arms and blacked my eyes, the other Robber actually killed that person. So Iwas lucky.
There is no better in this situation, the principle of denying basic fundamental freedoms, and bodily rights is not for any Government to decide upon, it is all wrong, and saying oh well, its not as bad as what they are doing means you have already accepted that you are not a free human being, and what do we call someone who is not free? Its a Slave,
Well, both of these countries have form when it comes to fascism………….
As does the UK now!
Has Toby had the jab then?
This was most certainly not the case in Menorca in late July and late August