April Fool's Goat (April 2021 Scapegoat Blame Thread)

@njfan Next month…

@njfan You’ve been a worthy opponent…

@DoctorOW Walter is devastated.

@tinamarie1974
Oh, I love that! 🥰

@Kyeh thanks! I was trying to get one where he head butts the ball but I’m not fast enough. Eventually…

@tinamarie1974 The one where he’s up off the ground is pretty cool!

@Kyeh thanks, I just got a like on twitter from Purina for that one! I just wish it wasn’t washed out by the sun

@tinamarie1974 Cool! Maybe someone who knows how could tweak it to get a little more detail back into it? He just looks so joyful leaping around like that!

@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 In whatever default program you have on your camera or on your computer edit it to darken it. Usually more detail comes out when you do that.

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh I tried, I didn’t have much luck

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @tinamarie1974 not sure if much of an improvement:

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @RiotDemon I think a little bit, it defines him more. Thanks

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @RiotDemon @tinamarie1974
If the picture is overexposed, you aren’t getting detail back that isn’t there to start with. You should try turning on your camera’s HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode, or put it on auto and pre-set levels on the brightest area (the siding of the house).

Or put it in “sports” mode if you’re capturing fast action like I think you were. And if you’re raising the ISO speed of the “film” (light sensitivity), shorten the shutter speed (how long you let light in). In most cases, “sports” mode and “bright sun” should do the trick with a modern “smart camera” (aka a phone).

@Kyeh @RiotDemon @tinamarie1974 Yeah I see what you mean. Too bad you can’t put a polarizing filter on your phone camera lens.

@Kyeh @mike808 @RiotDemon @tinamarie1974 Too bad you can’t do much of that stuff on phone cameras. That is where a “real” camera that isn’t point and shoot has a major advantage. Of course one doesn’t usually have one of those with them all the time.

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @mike808 @RiotDemon thanks, I’ll try sports mode next time see if that does the trick.

KL- I’ve got a couple SLR/DSLR cameras floating around, but it is a lot to try to throw the ball, grab the camera, get the pic. I need a few more hands lol. I may try with one of the “good” cameras on Sunday when the family is over. Someone else can be on ball throwing duty

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @RiotDemon @tinamarie1974
The modern photo apps (iPhone and Android) have HDR settings, and manual modes for ISO/shutterspeed/aperture as well as presets for “sports”, “landscape”, “night”, “portrait”, auto-flash, etc.

You just need to explore the settings in the app.

@Kyeh @mike808 @RiotDemon @tinamarie1974 My phone is really old so likely not on mine.

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @RiotDemon @tinamarie1974

Gave it a shot myself

@DoctorOW @Kidsandliz @RiotDemon @tinamarie1974 Wow! How about the leaping one?

@DoctorOW @Kidsandliz @Kyeh @RiotDemon that is so much better! Would you mind trying the other one where he is in the air?

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @RiotDemon @tinamarie1974 Not sure if I did much better of a job than above but here you go:

@show_the_maw Umm, pretty sure you’re to blame for her being very pregnant.

@show_the_maw I would have gladly taken the blame for that. You are just a day late.

@Kyeh I don’t know. There’s still a chance @doctorOW could be to blame. Need to wait until July and see what she looks like.

@DoctorOW @Kyeh @show_the_maw
The wife or the kid?

@DoctorOW @Kyeh @mike808 @show_the_maw Ouch!!!

@Davidtrippy Ouch! That’s a bad one!

@Davidtrippy
OUCH! I bet you’ll be feeling something from that one for a while! For whatever reason I have missed clicking it the day after the the last 3 mehrathons, finally broke my streak today, the count goes on!

@Lynnerizer Wow-you hear about stories like that. Glad your mom is OK. DoctorOw is certainly starting off his month with a bang.

@Lynnerizer

Did her computer get wrecked? The photo of where she could have been sitting looks bad. I am sorry she has so much on her plate

@Lynnerizer I’m glad she’s okay - what a close call!

@Lynnerizer terrible, but oh so happy your mama is unscathed

@Felton10 @Lynnerizer Like I get this is the role of a scapegoat but wow what a heavy blame.

@DoctorOW @Felton10 @Lynnerizer Yeah, I think the guidelines actually say the goat ISN’T to be blamed for the really serious bad stuff! I guess it just gives people a place to tell the community about those awful things they’re dealing with and get some sympathy and thoughts and prayers.

@Felton10 @Kyeh @Lynnerizer Well definitely sending my finest vibes. Hope everyone turns out well.

@Felton10
This isn’t the first time it’s happened either, it is the most damage that’s been done though. The huge maple tree in the front lawn usualy gets the brunt of it, this time we think it slowed him down but he only got the bottom limb. Still waiting to hear how the guys making out. My mom’s still pretty pissed off and upset about everything, overwhelmed is the word.

@Kidsandliz
Yes, the computer and phone are out of commission, the shredder is in pieces all over the place!

@DoctorOW @Felton10 @Kyeh
You’re totally correct Kyeh, it’s a bit much for one goat! I actually DID feel a little bad putting the blame on DoctorOW and almost created a new topic for exactly THAT reason. I even waited to post thinking I might’ve been goat myself…
I don’t put this kind of thing on my other social media because those people actually know who I am, here I can have my anonymity and not feel like i’m attention seeking! I so VERY MUCH believe in the power of prayer, along with just putting “good vibes” out there in the universe. The more good vibes, the better the outcome! Thanks for your support, I really love this little community!

@DoctorOW @Felton10
Please don’t take it personal Doc, I really don’t blame YOU! Just in case nothing more exciting happens during your reign/goated month, i’ve made it somewhat memorable for you, right?

@DoctorOW
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause bad feelings, really, I didn’t!!

@Lynnerizer

This isn’t the first time it’s happened either,

Yikes. ??? she at the end of where a road “T’s”? On a sharp curve?

@DoctorOW @Felton10 @Lynnerizer Oh, you aren’t alone - people vent about heavy things all the time from what I’ve seen! Even blame for the pandemic deaths at one point, I think …and I know what you mean, sometimes it’s just nice to be able to tell people what’s weighing on your mind or causing you grief.

@Kidsandliz
She’s actually in a very quiet, OLD neighborhood, the house next door is a historical site. Her house is located on the corner of a four way stop. The speed limit for the entire area is 10-15mph, so no one should be going fast enough to do anywhere THAT MUCH damage! AND, it’s a school zone!! In the past 40 years, since she’s had the house, this is the fourth time someone’s hit her house, yard, tree/shrubs, and it’s not always from the same direction. This is the stop sign the guy blew through this time!

@Kidsandliz
You can see how that huge maple tree really helped the blow. My sister gave her that tree the first year mom bought the house, it’s taken a beating over the years.

@Lynnerizer Looks like she needs an wrought iron fence on both sides of the yard to stop cars before they get close to her house too. And to protect the tree too.

@Kidsandliz @Lynnerizer
Not wrought iron. Railroad track/rails or I-beams.
Something like this stuff. Razor wire optional.

Google “crash rated fence”.

@Kidsandliz @Lynnerizer @mike808 Some attractive, large, well-placed boulders would look a lot nicer. Such a pretty house and yard!

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @mike808
I’m really liking the barrier in that video! I like it not only for the damage that it will do to the runaway car, stopping them from reaching the important stuff, but how it’s almost invisible and not to much of a eyesore, at least until impact! That’s pretty cool, good find!!

@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @mike808
Yes Kyeh, her home IS very nice. It took me a VERY long time (like 25yrs) to see it’s beauty and appreciate it. That wasn’t my childhood home (I liked that one WAY better) and you know, I was still dealing with those mommy issues. Time heals most everything! Lol
I’m going to show her that video up above from Mike, she’ll get a good laugh! She’s already had enough dealing with contractors, inspectors and everyone in between. It’s ONLY week 1, she’s got a loooong ways to go! Ugh

@DoctorOW @Felton10 @Kyeh @Lynnerizer

I guess it just gives people a place to tell the community about those awful things they’re dealing with and get some sympathy and thoughts and prayers.

That’s what the big add topic button is for. As long as it’s not a mehrathon people will respond.

@Lynnerizer I wonder if the driver had a medical emergency. We had a woman wrap her car around a tree in our front yard many years ago. I ran out, took one look at the tree where the driver’s seat should have been and said a little prayer that she didn’t make it. She did - and is permanently brain damaged. Apparently she was coming home from a work party.

About 10 years ago someone had a heart attack while coming down our road at a very busy time of the day. It’s a main road, very busy with lots of traffic. Veered off the road, sheered through a telephone pole (they were driving an old, big solid suv), went back on the road, then back off again, through some hedges and came to a stop at the corner of our neighbor’s house, right against their gas line. Knocked that loose enough for me to smell gas the moment I got close. In turn, I got far away again real quick. Amazingly enough, he didn’t hit any other cars or people. That guy was doa.

@mbersiam catwalk you say??

@tinamarie1974 yes, and sometimes i do my little turn on it

@mbersiam @tinamarie1974
/youtube right said fred catwalk

@sasantosh I am sorry you and your wife are sick. Fortunately what they are finding is that kids that young seldom get covid even if their parents do. Of course until everyone is well again of course you will worry about them.

@Kidsandliz Thanks for kind word.

As it turn out we got corona from one of the two neighbor’s kid. They had a corona breakout in the school. Both the neighbor’s kids have corona. hence the fear.

@sasantosh Don’t blame you for your fear one bit!

@sasantosh How are you guys doing?

@Kidsandliz kids are still running around. Thank God for that.

Wife is still positive, tested yesterday.
I am positive too, tested Friday.

We both have lost sense of smell and taste.

But we are alive and kicking. We should be good another week or two. Going to post an unblame soon.

Thanks for asking and following up. Appreciate the concern.

@Kidsandliz Wife’s test came negative today. But kids have it. We all have lost sense of taste and smell but kids are yet to lose the sense of naughtiness. They are going strong, so no fear.

@Kidsandliz

@tinamarie1974 This was a preventable death (well preventable 2 deaths). They already knew it was possible for dogs to get under the fencing. They saw, as I made them go look, how the cinder blocks were moved. Yesterday the mean dog managed to mostly destroy the old dog’s favorite large stuffed animal she’d sleep on and get one of her two blankets (yet again get the blankets). I pointed out how the mean dog was trying to go under the fencing (I think he got under it where they left the one blanket that was stuck on the fencing as that would have protected his back from the sharp edges although it was also preventing him from pulling what was left of the stuffed animal and the one blanket under there yet again)…

So today they remove and throw out both cages (these are more like 7’ high enclosures with makae shift tops on the ones if there is a dog in there who tries to jump out as some do). Turns out they had new ones they hadn’t assembled. They should have replaced those two cages the minute I brought this to their attention. Then no dog would have died and one wouldn’t have suffered for however long she lay there bleeding, chewed on and hurt. I hope they feel really guilty. As a volunteer I can’t do much about it, but knowing what they already knew and what I told them this was predictable.

It is also too close to having to put my almost 20 year old cat down to know that those two dogs died, especially the old one as she was such a friendly, gentle dog who so appreciated it when you’d give her a nice, thick fleece blanket for her to arrange under herself and roll around on. She’d then tuck her stuffed animal between her front legs and lay her head on it or burrow her head into it.

@Kidsandliz @tinamarie1974 some days my heart hurts. Sent a donation to our local rescue (from where I got all but one of my dogs) in honor of the gentle lady.

@Kidsandliz Good immune system! Now reward it with ice cream or something.

@Kidsandliz @OldCatLady
Definitely.
Perhaps some dark chocolate?

@Kidsandliz
Here’s the link without your tracking info.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GKXDR1O

The code after /dp/ is the ASIN (their item number). That’s all you need.

@mike808 Oops. Thanks.

@riotdemon @ narfcake @thumperchick could you please fix my url above please? Thanks.

@Kidsandliz @mike808 Hmm. Something I also hadn’t known.

@Kidsandliz @OldCatLady
Have some ice cream to reward yourself.
Keep learning!

@narfcake meant to flag you too to change my url but somehow I put a space between the @ and your name. Thanks.

@Kidsandliz @mike808 @OldCatLady that is just wrong

@mike808 @OldCatLady I didn’t even look closely at that ice cream bar until @tinamarie1974 posted. Whomever made that mold has a twisted mind. LOL

@Kidsandliz @mike808 @tinamarie1974 I think they used the wrong stick.

@mike808 @OldCatLady @tinamarie1974 If that ice cream bar was even more x-rated than it already is you’d have to buy it in an adult “book” store.

PS oldcatlady - I tried to find where they sell these for your eating pleasure but I couldn’t even find them at all.

@tinamarie1974 Why were you only able to do your training in a PetSmart? Is your dog training a side hustle? Dunno, your ask/entitlement seems kinda sus. It is their store, so they run it however they like.

As a normal pet owner consumer, I prefer Pet Supplies Plus, btw.

@mike808 not the only place I could go, it was a bit of a field trip for the pup. In addition I needed to do shopping anyway. Where better to go with so many distractions like food, treats, toys, people who want to pet the dog. Remember it is a store that welcomes people and caters to their pets so why wouldn’t it be an option?

Also, FWIW, the professional training I pay for is far from a side hustle. This was practice.

As follow up I spoke to the regional manager today. He was appalled at how the manager treated me and asked me to come in so we could meet. I likely won’t, as the location is not convenient for day to day shopping, but it was important for him to know how the mgr treats guests.

@tinamarie1974
I was thinking why the manager might have reacted the way tgey did, and my thought was they have had professional pet trainers (i.e. a side hustle) using PetSmart as their “free” office and training space for the same reasons you brought your pupper there.

Also, since they’re selling training services - at the store - it should be obvious that their own stores are used as training areas for their trainers. Especially if they’ve complained to the manager that they’re not getting any exclusivity for what they pay to operate inside the PetSmart when anyone can compete with them in the store.

It’s like you took your food truck and parked in front of a popular restaurant and can’t understand why the restaurant manager is pissed.

Not saying you were doing anything improper, but you did react in a pretty entitled way. Especially since you went Karen on the store manager.

@mike808 what makes you think I acted entitled or as a Karen,? I answered his question and asked why it was an issue. I did leave because he pissed me off and did not make any purchases, but why should I if I am not welcome in the store?

I waited until the next day (today) and called to complain, only providing facts. Unless you are secretly Chad the mgr, I am pretty sure you are drawing incorrect assumptions about the incident.

The Dist Mgr was very clear that what I was doing was not an issue, and he welcomed me to come back any time. His only issue would have been if I was soliciting business from customers, which I was not. Kind if like your incorrect analogy of the food truck. I would only be the food truck if I was trying to steal business. Not the case, as I am not starting a side business. I was just working my dog in a store that allows pets.

@tinamarie1974
What is “PetSmart approved training”?
How are the in-store pet trainers paid?
Maybe the manager was looking out for them, since they’ll be around longer than you would.

Maybe you were the 5th person doing in-store training with a pet that day, and the previous 4 were side-hustle trainers.

It’s not always about you.

@mike808 you are exhausting . Do let me summarize. I complained on the complaint string that I was asked to leave a store for no valid reason.

1. First you decided that I likely have a side hustle and was trying to steal business, or was with someone working their game. Nope!
2. Then you decided I was acting like an entitled “Karen”. Still no. Hummmmm. What else could it be, must be something
3. Oh I bet the mgr had a bad day and TM should be sensitive to that! WTF.

Mike it was a bad situation made by the manager. I personally don’t care if the manager had a bad day. First he is an adult and should be able to control his emotions. Not my job to coddle him assuming he is upset. Second he is the MANAGER and should treat his customers appropriately. I don’t care if one customer upset him, you don’t take it out on another. If you do be prepared to lose business and/or be reported for your actions

If I was wrong I would have quietly left, but realize I did nothing wrong based upon PetsMart policy. That was confirmed by both their CS dept and the Regional Mgr. So to clarify, I quietly left and went to Petco to make my purchases. I then called CS the following day to report him for his actions.

@mike808 @tinamarie1974 For over a year I have volunteered at Petsmart cleaning cat cages once a week. At times there are people in their with a trainer and their dog working with the dog on how to behave in public settings with lots of people. Petsmart is one of the few stores that allow dogs in the door so it makes sense people go there to do that. There has never been an issue about people doing that in the one I volunteer in. Sounds like this is more just an issue with that manager being a jerk rather than a violation of store policy.

It can be a pain if the people with their animals (whether or not doing training) don’t keep them under control, they jump on you or slobber on you, don’t tell someone when their animal pees or poops on the floor (the employees are used to cleaning that up and don’t judge the owners), or allow their dogs to create trouble with other animals but that is a fairly rare event. Most of the time owners and pets are under control and reasonably well behaved and everyone is happy. This manager’s behavior is not consistent with the ones at the Petsmart I volunteer at.

@tinamarie1974 You are not the center of the universe. Perhaps you wouldn’t be treated like a Karen or a jerk customer if YOU hadn’t decided that because YOU were doing something, the store manager has “NO REASON” to question YOU about anything going on in their store.

Self-entitled much? Upset because you were denied privilege and entitlements?

I never said the manager acted appropriately. I simply noted some potential reasons why in a place of business such as a PetSmart, that every interaction isn’t, just perhaps, always about YOU, or that everyone else on the planet knows and understands YOUR motivations as their primary focus in life in preparation for the life-affirming moment they will interact with you.

Get over yourself.

@mike808 you are so out of touch and volatile if anyone questions your opinion. Such a snowflake.

Believe me I know the world does not revolve around me, the point was that the manager was over the top rude. Did I have an issue with him coming over to speak with me, no. Did I have an issue when I was thrown out for doing something that is NOT against store policy YES.

Not sure why you are falling on a sword and taking a different stance than myself AND Petsmart (that is the actual company, get it)themselves? Maybe you know better than everyone else and should just tell everyone how to live and direct companies how to operate. Maybe you should get your head out of your ass

And goat, I am not blaming you for Mike’s childlike behavior. But maybe @Narfcake can delete all the follow up comments, because no one needs to be subjected to his negativity.

@Kidsandliz thanks for your comment. This is absolutely correct

@tinamarie1974 I’m pretty sure you’ve left out quite a bit of unbiased description of the events that occurred between the manager “coming over to speak with me” and “when I was thrown out”. Managers don’t throw customers out of their store without good reason, and you haven’t been honest about what it was about your behavior that caused them to 1) approach you, and 2) after interacting with you, decide to show you the door. There seems to be quite a bit missing between #1 and #2.

Whatever the reasons, whether you agree with them or not, PetSmart can run their business however they want and you are not entitled to go in and do whatever you please. Your absolute insistence that you “did nothing wrong” just doesn’t come across as being an honest or fair representation of the fine people on both sides of your discussion with the PetSmart manager.

It sounds more like the entitled anti-maskers demanding to wander through shared public spaces spreading COVID and describing the events leading up to them being thrown out of those establishments “for no good reason”.

I’m sorry you’re so touchy about being called out on your biases, but they’re clearly there whether you admit to them or not. Methinks you doth protest to much, so there must be something truthful about my exploring why the manager did what he did “for no good reason”, as you say. What was that reason? I don’t think he flipped a coin or had a bet with someone to throw a random customer out of the store. That you’re so adamant about there being no possibility of a rational store manager having any reasons to react to whatever it was that you were doing in his store is the very reason that gives rise to question the veracity and accuracy of your one-sided portrayal of events, conveniently where you are representing yourself in the most benefical circumstances, and you are characterizing the manager as reacting in the most unflattering manner. What a coincidence!

I’m pretty sure the truth is somewhere in between, and that you can’t see or acknowledge that is why I was contemplating as to why would the manager do such a thing, and presented some (to me) obvious reasons why they may have done what they did. I wasn’t defending them, simply trying to understand why someone else would do what they did in a situation to have a fair and balanced understanding of the full context before making informed decisions about next steps. Perhaps you should try that sometime.

@mike808 @tinamarie1974 Mike it is possible that a store has a really poor manager. One of the Petcos in my town has one of those. She is rude and disrespectful to some customers. Heaven help you if you disagree with her.

Back when Petco decided to try to become more upscale and no longer carry the less expensive lines of pet food, she was really obnoxious to people who came in, no longer saw the foods they usually bought there and asked about it. She’d put them down and be rude about the fact that they wanted to purchase things like cat chow, friskies wet food, etc. She is still the manager there several years later.

@mike808 you are right, I did not share every last detail on the thread. I only provided a high level explanation of the details. I did not realize it is a requirement to ensure you are fully satisfied with the level of detail provided. Confused as to how Liz could understand the situation, but you still seem to be confused. Argumentative I think.

I was only concerned about sharing all pertinent details with the folks at Petsmart. Realize that when I spoke with CS and the Regional Manager I calmly, rationally, and politely explained the situation and answered every question they asked. Both people were satisfactorily convinced that the issue was not mine and that I did not break any Petsmart policy during my visit. TBH this is really all I care about, whether you approve or not is of no concern.

@Kidsandliz @tinamarie1974
I never said it wasn’t possible the manager was rude. I never said I was defending the manager, several times, quite the opposite. What I said was the manager didn’t just randomly decide to react to TM “for no reason”. I simply posed the question about what might those reasons have been, and TM got defensive, which suggests her version may be less than accurate, given she wasn’t interested in being reasonable and just not shopping where you’re not welcome and more interested in retaliation for the perception of being “wronged”.

What I was stating, was that a description of events being only a set of facts very favorable to the self-determined “victim” smacks of self-entitlement and suggests an intentional misrepresentation of the events, so as to not cast doubt upon the storyteller’s version to garner sympathy under false pretenses, and to transfer all “blame” entirely to the other person involved.

I’m sorry, I just don’t buy the fact that the manager just picked on TM “for no good reason”. Did the manager offer a “bad” reason? Maybe. I don’t know PS policy on in-store training in the context that it appears they have subcontracted professional trainers offering their own reviewed and authorized fee-based training services.

PS certainly isn’t in the business of reviewing and approving whatever anyone off the street decides is “training” for their pet. I’m pretty sure there are some randos out there with some pretty unacceptable (to you or I or TM) methods for “training” pets, but to the person “training” their pets in-store that way, I’m pretty sure you would want the manager to approach the person and ask them to leave. Or if a professional training service pulled up and brough their trainees into the store to use it as a no-cost “free” training facility when their customers are paying them (and not PetSmart) to train their pets. I’m just saying there are plenty of reasons that PetSmart very likely doesn’t want to be in the business of deciding each case whether or not any rando person claiming to be “training” their personal pet (or if they are lying about that) and just has a blanket policy of “no in-store training period”, and to the extent that the manager allows it, that is the manager using their discretion, and at no time was it a policy of entitlement for store patrons to enjoy on-premises authorized self-directed pet training.

But since TM isn’t interested in anyone else’s views or understanding of events, I have a hard time believing the impartaililty and honesty in her claims, which doesn’t help her argument that she was “wronged” and needed to seek “justice” (i.e. retaliation) from the regional manager, nor garner much sympathy if that was the main point of the “story” posted.

@mike808 @tinamarie1974 Mike, as we both know, there are a people in this world who are rude and obnoxious to people without them having done anything. Maybe they are having a bad day, maybe they are jerks to the core, maybe who knows what…I have witnessed it, had it happen to me, on here are a couple of a-holes who bully and attack select others for no apparent reason…

Pets are routinely allowed in the store even when they bark, pee and poop in there. The only thing I am aware of is that they have to be under the control of the owner. Since neither of us were there it seems to me we don’t know what happened or why. As a result presuming the worst may not even be close to the truth. I am not sure why she is being attacked by you because for me, after reading her original post, the conclusion you reached were very different than than the one I reached. Maybe it is time for this conversation to end? Or at least continue it only in whispers?

@Kidsandliz thank you! I’m going to ignore Mikes messages. He just continues to shift his argument based upon the responses he receives, it is always never ending.

Have a good evening

@ybmuG Whew! I hate it when they take my favorite thing off the menu - and it happens to me a lot!

@Kyeh @ybmuG
When a restaurant/chef/kitchen crew are good enough to be fine with making you whatever you want, then the menu doesn’t matter.

Growing up in New Orleans, when you are at a top joint, ordering off the menu is like a dance between kitchen and customer.

Knowing the capabilities of the staff, the ingredients they have available, and their familiarity with what you are asking for is as much a statement of your appreciation of them as it is their appreciation of you when they make it. That is why it is called a special order.

Eating is a celebration, and it sounds like you were celebrating them and they returned the favor.

@Kyeh @mike808 Yes, it was very clear from the other menu items that they still had everything they needed so I felt confident asking. Maybe the sides were different from before, but it’s really not about the sides. The magic is in the way they roast the pork and make the salsa verde. Also a confirmation that the wait staff are well-trained vs. “it’s not on the menu, we don’t have that”. But then again, if that was the kind of place, it wouldn’t be my favorite Mexican restaurant.

@ybmuG yea, that is fantastic!!! As FYI Mexican was my first take-out meal after being vaccinated. I still feel a little hesitant about eating out because of the low % of the population vaccinated, So takeout is my go to plan for a while

@ybmuG Last weekend, we went out with another couple to the pool side restaurant in the development where we live. First time out with another couple since we got our second shot after two week waiting period. Definitely felt a little weird, but at least a little return to normalcy.

@Felton10 @ybmuG
PSA: The vaccine does not prevent you from catching COVID or from spreading it!

Please keep on masking and social distancing.
Monitor your temperature.

The vaccine just stops you from getting sick, losing your sense of taste, needing an expensive taxpayer-subsidized ventilator and intensive hospital care for weeks, and maybe dying.

@Felton10 @mike808 @ybmuG Actually the vaccination greatly reduces your chance of catching it and greatly reduces your chance of spreading it. So far both Moderna and Pfizer have released studies that confirm this. The others reduce your chance of catching it, whether or not it reduces your chances of spreading it I don’t know as I am only tracking Pfizer since that is what I got.

@Felton10 @Kidsandliz @ybmuG

While it reduces those aspects, it does not prevent transmission or catching it. It protects you from getting sick.

People shouldn’t think it is a magic shield, in the oversimplified way media promotes things called “vaccines”. This one doesn’t work that way is what I am saying.

That’s why reaching herd immunity is critical to reducing the transmission rates before the virus mutates.

Being vaccinated doesn’t mean you can pitch your masks and hug it out at block parties. Mask and social distancing are still the new normal for a while longer, until we know the variants are gone too.

@Felton10 @mike808 @ybmuG The science based peer reviewed and pre-publication studies I have seen have found that that at least with those two vaccinations (again I am only following the mRNA ones) it substantially reduces the odds of transmitting the virus to anyone because it greatly reduces the amount of virus you have in your nasal passages. The studies I have seen it also greatly reduces the odds of catching it and if you do catch it it greatly reduces the odds of you getting sick. Depending on the particular vaccination they work better with some variants than with others.

@mike808 @ybmuG I am still wearing my N95 masks everywhere I go so I am still being extra careful.

@Felton10 @mike808 @ybmuG I am being careful too even though my spike protein antibody test came back pos that I had a response. With a blood cancer all bets are off even with that which is why I am part of a clinical trial looking at exactly this with us.

@Felton10 @Kidsandliz @ybmuG
Wearing masks and distancing here too.

I live in a deep red state that prioritized sending vaccine to low population rural areas over the high population urban areas. Because, you know, stick it to the libtards and POC that didn’t vote for their liar in chief.

So there is a high population of gullible fucktards in this state that watch Faux News and think Bill Gates put microchips in the vaccine.

So while folks here (on this site) read studies and do comparative behavioral risk analysis, many of my neighbors and people I encounter do not. Around here (in my state/region) , I will still need to keep demonstrating public health is important for a while longer by discussing getting the jab, wearing a mask, and social distancing, for the undeserved benefit of those proudly wearing their MAGA floaties who insist on splashing around in the shallow end of the gene pool.

@rm9116