To think that Mark Drakeford is a power mad dictator?

[LittleLapwing]

Half the shops covered in plastic. Can’t buy clothes, duvets, books, DVDs, tins but not tin openers.
All the Halloween and bonfire night stuff that’s just been stocked is behind a cordon. Presumably now destined for landfill.

Autumn half term after a shitty year and I can’t even do a few seasonal treats for the kids.

AIBU to think that Mark Drakeford is a power mad dictator, and that his ridiculous game of Covid oneupmanship with Nicola and Boris needs to stop!?

@epcot15

What will happen if people take non essential items from behind the tape? Will ASDA have some non essential police at the tills? What if people go to the self scan and whack it through does the till know it's non essential? Whole thing is fucking insane!

I’m going to try that!!

And I am far from reveling in having my freedom restricted. This is shit, it's miserable and stressful and my anxiety is through the roof, I miss hugging my parents, I don't know when I will get to see my mum again, and normal life feels like a distant memory. But I still think Welsh government are making incredibly difficult decisions, and genuinely give a shit.

You don't make things fairer by making things worse for others. It's like addressing the needs of people with sight loss by blinding everyone else too instead of providing support and making accommodations to make things easier for the visually impaired.

And we live in 2020, not 1920, many people will just shop online. How is that going to help small shops? So those who can access online shopping and can afford it will just buy online while those who can't have to go without. What's fair about that?

I'm forever breaking the ringpulls off cans, meaning I have to reach for the tin opener. And because I'm a bit hamfisted I often break tin openers too I'd be in the shit if I lived in Wales and hadn't made sure I had a second back up tin opener.

And yes i know you can open a tin with a sharp knife, but I lack the arm strength (my DP can do it but he lives 3 hours away).

For now I'm grateful I'm 'only' in tier 2.

Am shocked that in Australia you have to apply to the govt to travel overseas. This increase of govt regulation of our lives is all a bit worrying.

He clearly has short man syndrome

@LittleLapwing

Mark Drakeford, fighting Covid one half term homework project at a time.

Nobhead.

Is there printer paper in that photo? What if you are wfh and run out of paper and need to print as part of your job?

@Jellybott

It was actually Conservative MS's that suggested this, but don't let that stop you frothing at the mouth.

No, a Conservative MS said it was unfair that small shops had to close while supermarkets could carry on selling the same things they sold. There is another way round this... we could let the small shops stay open.

The charitable explanation is that he wants to be St Louis and not Philadelphia.

"On September 28, the city of Philadelphia hosted its "Liberty Loan" parade in the midst of the flu outbreak of 1918-19 — sometimes referred to as the Spanish flu. Shortly thereafter, hospitals were at capacity and 2,600 people had died.

Around the same time, the city of St. Louis was closing schools, libraries, courthouses, churches, playgrounds as well as limiting the number of people on streetcars and staggering work shifts to minimize contact. "

After reading that, I thought, if I had any choice, as a leader, I'd want to be St Louis.

Also, we saw in the spring and summer that if infection gets momentum it goes up very quickly in the space of a week, but then it plateaus and the speed of decrease is very shallow, 4 or 5 weeks.

On the other hand, I do sympathise with the small businesses. If people phone up, could the businesses deliver essential items, children's birthday presents etc safely distanced outside the house, do you think? It would be great if local business could get custom rather than amazon.

Am shocked that in Australia you have to apply to the govt to travel overseas. This increase of govt regulation of our lives is all a bit worrying.

It's more than a bit worrying. It's utterly terrifying but it seems that there's literally no end to the rights people are willing to give up or force others to give up in order to feel "safe. "

but back in April you could not buy plenty of things from supermarkets.

@SebastianTheCrab

I thought he was until I read that he did it because smaller stores are being forced to shut so this stops supermarkets being given yet more of an advantage. It may be untrue though, I don't know.

That's what he said.

Not stopping Jeff Bezos lining his pockets is it!

If he cared he would see that he is making people's lives fucking miserable for a virus that won't make the vast majority of them very ill at all. That is not the definition of caring

Apparently the definition of caring is fuck old people, the vulnerable and those susceptible to long covid so long as I can have a shiny new kettle on demand.

Just had a look at the news pages, actual metal barriers in front of baby coats.

Wtaf.

I'm not cancelling the Amazon Prime free trial I just signed up to, I'm afraid. No doubt our own dear leaders here in N.I will latch upon this brilliant idea, and I'm already about 20 miles from the nearest fucking Tesco. Would rather shop in an actual shop but not if they're going to have the riot vans out to stop you getting to the kettles

This is just bloody nuts now, isn't it? Who the fuck does the government think they are, stopping people buying clothes for their kids? I thought it was all about the free market capitalism these days anyway

@TroysMammy

epcot15 and what area of Wales do you live in? And don't feel sorry for Troy. He was my cat who died 5 years ago.

Thankfully no area in Wales.

Apparently the definition of caring is fuck old people, the vulnerable and those susceptible to long covid so long as I can have a shiny new kettle on demand.

Not buying a kettle will not help any of those groups one iota.

@C8H10N4O2

If he cared he would see that he is making people's lives fucking miserable for a virus that won't make the vast majority of them very ill at all. That is not the definition of caring

Apparently the definition of caring is fuck old people, the vulnerable and those susceptible to long covid so long as I can have a shiny new kettle on demand.

Ah right except that's not what I said at all is it? He can close non essential shops (I mean they've not been proven to be covid hotbeds) if he wants but why can't he leave supermarkets totally open?

I'm not saying lets sacrifice pensioners and get totally back to normal ffs. But you know that and you're just being fucking ridiculous.

All the old people I know would rather take their chances with covid rather than face a kettle free life.

You should see my granny if she doesn't get her Nambarrie fix.

Natsel84 I'm sorry for your loss

@C8H10N4O2

If he cared he would see that he is making people's lives fucking miserable for a virus that won't make the vast majority of them very ill at all. That is not the definition of caring

Apparently the definition of caring is fuck old people, the vulnerable and those susceptible to long covid so long as I can have a shiny new kettle on demand.

Here we go.

If you buy a birthday card you are killing grannies.

Don't you understand? Do you think Marcus Rashford was right to ask for free meals for kids? Because by supporting this lockdown you are indirectly supporting more families going into poverty.

By your logic, anyone who buys a kettle from Amazon doesn't care about kids who don't have enough to eat.

I'd be interested to know how many people opining about local non food shops actually use them. They have been closing down at the rate of knots since long before Covid as their customers already use Amazon and hypermarkets instead.

The small local shops in my area who survived the exodus to big chains have their own websites for ordering goods and offer free local delivery which enabled them to keep staff employed during the lockdown in March. Its common now as small shops use commercial platforms and payment systems, so if you want to support local shops look to see if they are on line.

I'd be interested to know how many people opining about local non food shops actually use them. They have been closing down at the rate of knots since long before Covid as their customers already use Amazon and hypermarkets instead

Oh that's ok then.

Oh, I see, the BBC is saying more about the police, it makes more sense now. It's more about stopping people escaping Wales into Glos..(understandable)

"Meanwhile, Wales entered the first full day of a national lockdown amid border patrols to stop non-essential travel.
Gloucestershire Constabulary said it will patrol routes into the Forest of Dean area and pull over vehicles suspected of making unnecessary journeys out of Wales.
Drivers without a valid excuse will be advised to turn around and, if they do not, will be reported to police in Wales who can issue fines, the force added."

If you buy a birthday card you are killing grannies.

Not actually what I said of course but I should know better than to expect rationality on the subject.

If you want to let the virus run wild so that you can get consumer goods then fine but at least own it.

If you want to let the virus run wild so that you can get consumer goods then fine but at least own it

This puritanical bullshit is incredible.

@C8H10N4O2

If you buy a birthday card you are killing grannies.

Not actually what I said of course but I should know better than to expect rationality on the subject.

If you want to let the virus run wild so that you can get consumer goods then fine but at least own it.

But that's not what anyone is saying is it??

They are not taking up supermarkets to stop the virus. Drakeford has said that. It will make shit all difference to transmission. None.