to think we really are 2 completely different cultures - the USA and the UK - just looking at the 'rebellion' taking place

[chomalungma]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8228769/Bleak-figures-China-US-economic-hit-virus.html

I know it's only some Americans. I know that it's a massive country with many many more people than the UK

But these scenes are astounding. People flocking to beaches. Protesting about lockdown.
Protesting with guns about lockdown

You just can't imagine these scenes in the UK at the moment.
Especially not the Ohio Zombie picture

It just amazes me - sometimes you think we are very similar to the USA, and then many times, you realise we are completely different.

can’t wait to give up work, stay inside on the sofa all day whilst expecting the govt to pick up the bills cos it’s our ‘right’ whilst spying on our neighbours and reporting any infraction to the police

You do realise that for a lot of industries like hospitality it isn’t possible to do the job but for a lot of people they are still in work, just working from home or for some that can’t work from home are continuing to go to work.

My impression is the US in some states have a blanket ban on work other than for essential workers.

And a not everyone is being supported by the government.

Some of us have slipped through the gaps

Most of us couldn’t careless what our neighbours are up to.
It is a tiny minority who have taken it upon themselves to judge what everyone is up to

My experience of the US is it is not really one country culturally. Never mind the differences with the UK.

Fortunately the US has the chance to get rid of its leader later this year, whereas we have to put up with Mr Johnson a lot longer.

My impression is the US in some states have a blanket ban on work other than for essential workers.

I don't think any state is forbidding work that can be done at home. I am in a state with stay-at-home orders. I am not an essential worker, but as long as I have internet and my computer is working, I am able to do my entire job from home. And count myself very lucky that I can.

I looked up Michigan when I saw the protests on the news

“No person or entity shall operate a business or conduct operations that require workers to leave their homes or places of residence except to the extent that those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or to conduct minimum basic operations”

This does sound predominantly like you can’t go to work if you can’t work from home unless you are an essential worker.

I think the difference is if you cannot wfh in some states in the US you can’t work whilst if you can’t wfh in the UK. You can still go into work (providing that you are not in hospitality or certain industries that require close contact with members of the public)

This does sound predominantly like you can’t go to work if you can’t work from home unless you are an essential worker.

This is certainly the case in my Midwestern State.
Only essential workers are able to work outside the home, there is a published list and its not that long.

@Oliversmumsarmy.....Almost everyone is an essential worker. If you have an office job you are working at home if your employer can. Everyone else is an essential worker.

The protests were initially organised by national Conservative groups with a political agenda. Michigan, Ohio & Virginia were targeted first because they are all "swing states"(Republicans trying to sow dissent between state governors & Trump). 300 million + US citizens & this is a tiny vocal faction. My friends & family in the US ( MA, MD, TX, CA, DC, VA etc) think the protesters are bonkers. Interestingly in the UK, Greater Manchester police complained recently about having to break up over 500 house parties over the weekend, so obviously people blatantly disregard the lockdown rules in both countries ....

@midwesteaster.....The list of essential jobs isn't ling but the amount of people who does those jobs are

@Leaannb I really don't think most workers in the State I live in fall into the category of essential workers.
There are a fair few who do and a fair few who are working from home. But a lot of people aren't working who would have been prior to non essential business shutting their places of work.
I don't actually disagree with that happening at all but I am aware that my Pilates teacher, knitting shop instructors, coffee house employees, additional Uni staff, non payroll school staff (catering, security etc), hairdresser, dentist, nail salon and opticians may feel differently.
These are all people I had planned to give money to in exchange for services in the last couple of months.
That is just me, I don't actually have a particularly exciting life, DH will have his own list. As will everyone else.
I accept it needed to happen but it must be brutal for these people.

Almost everyone is an essential worker. If you have an office job you are working at home if your employer can. Everyone else is an essential worker

Yes you can wfh but if everyone else is an essential worker how come so many have lost their job or are not working

But the Spanish history of imperialism is absolutely brutal, one of the few that is worse than GB

Agree.

Belgian colonialism in the Congo is another.

Belgian colonialism was probably one of the worst. There were a couple of good episodes about it on the Behind the Bastards podcast.

Have you read "King Leopold's Ghost" Vegan.

Excellent (and bloody harrowing!) account of the Belgian exploitation of its African colonies.

And thanks for the podcast reference. I hadn't heard of this but will look it up.

No I haven't. I'll add it to my Amazon wishlist. Thanks

@Oliversmumsarmy That would be the servers and events industry. Thats where the majority of Unemployment is coming from.

@Oliversmumsarmy.... I forgot the gyms and training, and salons.

@midwesteaster.... Did I read correctly that you were going to give money to the catering service and security at your children's schools? If I did don't do that. They getting paid

@midwesteaster..... Opticians should be open for appointments. I know mine is bugging the hell out of me to pick up my glasses,sunglasses and contacts that I was due to pick up last week

I haven’t read the whole thread yet but what I don’t get is, why in a country where healthcare costs so much and could bankrupt you, would you want to risk getting something like this?

I have been to many countries.

I visited the USA recently for a long time, coming back just before lockdown.

Of all the countries that I have been to, it is absolutely the most similar to the U.K. which makes alot of sense , as huge numbers of people in America are descended from English people.

Of course it has its many good points.

Its bad points are exactly the same as I have seen in the U.K.

1. Cold personalities
2. Sense of superiority
3. the rich taking ALOT and not caring about poor people.
4. Total disregard for the poor and homeless
5. Bullying
6. Nationalism
7. Racism
8. White superiority.

The U.K is very similar to the U.S.

@Leaannb my opticians is open for emergencies only, same as my dentist ( we may not be in the same state). Thus both routine dental and opticians appointments have been rescheduled.
Our school staff splits into two categories, those on the payroll who are still paid and those who are external contractors who I know aren't getting paid because the school was fundraising for them (this isn't a state school).
There have been things we have bought additionally, iPads, desks and chairs for dc e- learning but overall we are spending a lot less. Money that isn't going into the economy.

@Annamaria14 why on earth do you live in the UK when you have such a low opinion of its citizens and such contempt for its culture. That can’t be pleasant for you and the people who interact with you.

The media (esp the Fail) like to show sensationalist images but it is a teeny tiny minority we are talking about. That Ohio picture had 100 people — out of a state population of 12 million — and people are using it to generalize about a country of 328 million!

Seriously! If I believed the FAIL, I'd think all people in the UK dressed in terribly tight clothes and the women wore stilettos and fake tan and they all got maggoty drunk in the streets every time there was a race meet, a holiday, an occasion, or a full moon.

I don't btw.

I'm still laughing at the spanish colonialism comment. In the light of day, I presume it was ironic.

@ritascornershop alot of us don't live in just one country now.

I am from the U.K - I work remotely and don't live there at the moment.

I moved back to the UK last year for a short time to see how it was - I was disgusted with the racism I saw being given to people, and the nasty attitude to poverty. And the OBSESSION with where you live. Class based

And I left. The U.K needs to change hugely