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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people 10:05 - Mar 30 with 584 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

A driver flouted the coronavirus lockdown to pick up £15 windows with his wife in the boot of his car.

The man, who had bought the windows on eBay, was stopped by police on the M6 in Cheshire on Sunday after collecting his purchase in Salford.

Police said his wife had to sit in the boot as she "could not fit in the vehicle" for the return journey to Coventry.

North West Motorway Police issued the man with a traffic offence report.

After the force tweeted news of the 220-mile round trip people reacted with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Anthony Collier said: "I am amazed at how many people are still making unnecessary journeys."

Jonny Evans quipped: "Maybe he saw a window of opportunity".

The government has banned all non-essential travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Road blocks have been set up in some parts of the country, with police stopping drivers to check their journeys are for an essential purpose.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-52088987

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 11:10 - Mar 30 with 506 viewsspudgun

Grayling?
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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 11:16 - Mar 30 with 500 viewsROTTWEILERS

It's a topsy turvy world we live in where the risky bit of this journey is the necessity of the trip rather than the woman stuffed in the boot.

Go Out. See People. Live Your Lives.
Poll: Player of the Season vote

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 12:32 - Mar 30 with 490 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Gun sales surge in US as coronavirus sparks fear and chaos

Gun sales have exploded in the United States in the last two weeks as the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis has worsened. People are stocking up on weapons and ammunition, fearing that the pandemic may lead to social unrest. Even in Europe, which has tighter weapons regulations, arms sales are on the rise as well.

Since California, New York and 14 other US states issued “Shelter-in-place” orders, instructing people to stay in their homes to limit the spread of the coronavirus, gun sales all over the US have shot up.

"We have had about an 800 per cent increase in sales," said David Stone, owner of a gun store in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "I'm getting close to running out."

Fear driving sales

Stone told the French news agency AFP that the majority of the customers rushing to stock up on firearms and ammunition are first-time buyers grabbing anything available.

"It's fear over coronavirus," he said. "I don't understand it myself and I think it's unreasonable."

Several other store owners across the US said they have also seen a surge in sales as people fear social order will unravel if the health and economic crisis caused by Covid-19 escalates.

The Northwest Herald, a local newspaper in Chrystal Lake, Illinois, described a long line of customers waiting outside the Marengo gun shop, its website carrying an ad proclaiming March 1-31 the "month of madness," offering "25 per cent off all used guns". State police said that “requests for firearm transfers” have increased considerably.

Gun stores managed to stay open

The Illinois lockdown prohibits “all public gatherings of any number of people outside a single household or a living unit,” closes “places of amusement,” forbids “all but essential travel” and establishes “social distancing requirements”.

Like the French lockdown, the order also closes “non-essential services”. But “firearm and ammunition suppliers and retailers” are exempt from the provisions “for purposes of safety and security”.

According to a statement by the Illinois State Police, the Firearm Services Bureau received “a high volume of submissions since Friday, 13 March,” according to spokesperson Jacqueline Cepeda, “Through 18 March, the FSB had received 18,980 inquiries. The FSB is working to process these requests as efficiently as possible to ensure a timely response.”

Stricter controls

In the US, where the right to own a gun is enshrined in the Constitution’s Second Amendment, increased gun sales in times of crisis are not unusual. According to the Small Arms Survey, individuals in the US possess over 393 million firearms, of which the vast majority are not registered. The average is 120 weapons for every 100 inhabitants.

In Europe, where gun legislation is much stricter than in the US, the corresponding figure is 5 guns per 100 inhabitants. But, even in Europe, weapons sales are on the rise as the coronavirus crisis deepens.

According to the Reuters news agency, gun shops in Hungary have been selling between five and ten times more weapons this month than usual. The agency quotes the Czech arms manufacturers association as saying that shop owners have reported rising demand and a double-digit increase in sales.

http://www.rfi.fr/en/americas/20200326-gun-sales-surge-in-us-as-coronavirus-spar

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 13:26 - Mar 30 with 485 viewsspell_chekker

I'm thinking about getting a gun.

Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Poll: Would you like Wellens as Manager?

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 13:53 - Apr 1 with 459 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish says he is "deeply embarrassed" after he was pictured at the scene of a car accident on Sunday.

Various newspapers reported Grealish's car had hit a number of parked vehicles in Solihull.

The alleged incident came hours after Grealish, 24, had posted on social media asking fans to "stay home" during the country's coronavirus lockdown.

He has been fined and disciplined by the club with the proceeds donated to The University Hospitals Charity in Birmingham.

In a video message Grealish said: "I got a call off a friend asking to go round and I stupidly agreed.

"I don't want anyone to make the same mistake I did.

"I know it's a tough time for everyone at the moment being locked indoors for so long," he added.

"But I urge everyone to stay indoors and follow the guidelines and I know I'll be doing that in the near future now."

Grealish then added that he "hopes everyone can accept my apology" and that everyone can "move on" and be out "enjoying themselves once this has all boiled over".

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 10am on Sunday to the Dickens Heath area of Solihull to reports that a Range Rover had crashed into two parked cars in the street, causing them minor damage.

The force said the driver had left his details with a member of the public before leaving on foot and would be spoken to by police in due course.

Images surfaced online on Sunday of a damaged white Range Rover, as well as a picture that appeared to show the Villa midfielder in slippers and a bright blue hoodie.

Villa said in a statement: "Aston Villa is deeply disappointed that one of our players ignored the Government's guidance on staying at home during the coronavirus crisis.

"Club captain Jack Grealish has accepted that his decision to leave his house was wrong and entirely unnecessary."

A key player for Villa, who is a summer target for Manchester United, the midfielder has seven goals and six assists for Villa in 26 Premier League games so far this season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52099863

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 16:19 - Apr 1 with 447 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Brazilian President Bolsonaro suggested his people are naturally immune to the coronavirus, claiming they can swim in sewage and 'nothing happens'

Brazil's president has suggested without evidence that Brazilians may have a natural immunity to the coronavirus.

President Jair Bolsonaro said Thursday he didn't think the outbreak would get as bad in the country as it has in the US, citing anecdotal evidence on the health of Brazilians.

"I don't think it will reach that point. Especially because Brazilians have to be studied," Bolsonaro said, according to TV Globo. "They don't get anything. You see the guy jumping into the sewer there, going out, diving, right? And nothing happens to him."

"I think a lot of people have already been infected in Brazil, a few weeks or months ago, and already have the antibodies that help not to proliferate it."

As of Thursday, Brazilian health officials said that there were more than 2,900 cases in the country, and 77 deaths – an almost two-fold jump from 46 deaths the day before.

Bolsonaro has been criticized by many within Brazil for downplaying the crisis. In another speech on Tuesday, he urged his country's mayors and governors to relax coronavirus restrictions, so that the economy could "get back to normal."

He also ignored medical advice and broke self-isolation last week to greet thousands of supporters.

There were fears at one point that Bolsonaro had caught COVID-19 himself, when 22 officials he traveled to the US recently tested positive. However, Bolsonaro has said twice that he has tested negative for the virus.

Right-wing congressman Kim Kataguiri, who previously supported Bolsonaro, told The Guardian that Bolsonaro's response to the coronavirus has been "irresponsible and populist."

"It's pretty clear he is primarily interested in his re-election and very little about actually fighting coronavirus," Kataguiri said.

Davi Alcolumbre, the head of Brazil's Senate, said the country needs "serious, responsible leadership" in times like this.

"We consider grave the position expressed by the president today, on national networks, of attacking Covid-19 containment measures," he said after the president's speech on Tuesday, according to the BBC.

Alcolumbre added: "The position runs against the actions adopted by other countries and suggested by the World Health Organization."

https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-jair-bolsonaro-suggests-brazilians-i

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 08:39 - Apr 2 with 432 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom


‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 16:40 - Apr 2 with 418 viewsspudgun

"The Coronavirus pandemic represents God`s judgement after the immoral and corrupt government legislation on abortion in Northern Ireland." - Councillor Carson.

The DUP attempt to drag us back to the dark age...
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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 21:25 - Apr 2 with 405 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

‘Paranoid train driver drove speeding loco off tracks to try and destroy coronavirus hospital ship’

A conspiracy theorist train driver drove his speeding locomotive off its tracks to try and destroy a coronavirus hospital ship, police say. Eduardo Moreno, 44, crashed the engine at the Port of Los Angeles on Wednesday in a bit to destroy the US Navy Hospital Ship Mercy, which will help relieve pressure on the city’s hospitals during the pandemic.

Asked why he had crashed the train, Moreno reportedly claimed he’d been aiming for the Mercy, which he alleged was a cover-up for a government takeover. According to a criminal complaint, the engineer for the Pacific Harbor freight railway company said: ‘You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to. People don’t know what’s going on here. Now they will.’

Moreno’s train smashed through a series of barriers and fences, before coming to rest more than 250 yards away from the Mercy, which did not sustain any damage. No-one was injured in the alleged train attack. Port of Los Angeles spokesman Phillip Sanfield said the train would have had to slice through another large swathe of parking lot and make it across a water channel before striking the Mercy, and said it would have been nigh-on impossible to hit.

Moreno was arrested by a California Highway Patrol officer who witnessed the crash, then saw him trying to flee the scene. Describing the orgy of destruction, that cop reported seeing ‘the train smash into a concrete barrier at the end of the track, smash into a steel barrier, smash into a chain-link fence, slide through a parking lot, slide across another lot filled with gravel, and smash into a second chain-link fence.’

Moreno has now been charged with train wrecking and is being investigated by the FBI anti-terrorism agents. California has seen almost 8,000 coronavirus diagnoses and 150 deaths.

The Mercy will provide up to 1,000 beds for patients who do not have coronavirus, with LA’s existing hospitals now dealing with Covid-19 patients as a priority.

Its sister ship, the Comfort, docked in Manhattan Monday and will serve the same purpose for coronavirus-hit New York.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/02/paranoid-train-driver-drove-speeding-loco-off-tra


‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 22:10 - Apr 2 with 401 viewsLala

Jeez, some very strange people walk this mortal coil

when the monkey is high you do not stare you do not stare 🥴
Poll: Blackpool v Arsenal scoreline , just wanted to try out a poll 😏

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 22:16 - Apr 2 with 400 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Dr Fauci: security reportedly expanded as infectious disease expert faces threats

Reports say immunologist who has become celebrity amid coronavirus has received unwelcome messages from critics and supporters

Security for Dr Anthony Fauci, the 79-year-old infectious disease expert who has become a calm, reassuring foil to Donald Trump at coronavirus briefings, has been expanded, according to multiple reports.

While Fauci’s straight talk and willingness to gently correct the president’s outrageous exaggerations have drawn admiration from late-night talkshow hosts, professional basketball players and doughnut shop owners alike, the doctor has received threats and unwelcome communications from both critics and fervent admirers. The Washington Post first reported the news.

At a coronavirus taskforce briefing at the White House on Wednesday, Fauci declined to comment on whether he was receiving security protection, deferring to the health department’s inspector general.

Trump interjected, saying that Fauci “doesn’t need security, everybody loves him”. If anyone were to attack Fauci, Trump added, “they’d be in big trouble”, touting the disease expert’s high school athletic career.

“He was a great basketball player, did anybody know that?” Trump said. “He was a little on the short side for the NBA but he was talented.” As basketball captain at Regis high school in 1958, Fauci had helped lead the team to an unlikely victory.

Asked to comment on any increase in Fauci’s security detail, Tesia Williams, a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokeswoman, said: “For more than two decades, the office of inspector general has provided professional protective services for the HHS secretary and, as needed, to departmental leadership. In each case, OIG assesses and recommends the appropriate level of protection. I cannot confirm, at this time, that we are providing such services for Dr Fauci.”

The immunologist has become an unlikely celebrity, representing the US scientific community facing off against the coronavirus pandemic. The NBA star Stephen Curry has called him “the Goat” — greatest of all time. Fans have plastered his likeness on cupcakes, doughnuts, socks and prayer candles.

But Fauci has also become a public target for rightwing pundits and bloggers who believe he is undermining the president. An article in the rightwing outlet American Thinker called Fauci a “Deep-State ­Hillary Clinton-loving stooge”, and referred to a seven-year-old email in which he praised Clinton for her stamina through the Benghazi hearings. Tom Fitton, the president of the conservative group Judicial Watch, a conservative group; and Bill Mitchell, host of the far-right online talkshow YourVoice America, have also reinforced Fauci criticisms and conspiracy theories.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/01/dr-fauci-security-reportedly-expan

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 22:52 - Apr 2 with 398 viewsspell_chekker

Has Glenn Hoddle made a statement about the virus yet?

Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Poll: Would you like Wellens as Manager?

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 12:11 - Apr 4 with 384 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Coronavirus: Birmingham and Merseyside masts set on fire over false 5G claims

Mobile phone masts have been torched and engineers abused over "baseless" theories linking coronavirus to 5G.

UK mobile network providers have warned against the spread of the theories after videos showing masts on fire were posted on social media.

Masts were set alight in Sparkhill, Birmingham, on Thursday and Melling, Merseyside, on Friday.

Trade body Mobile UK, which represents network providers, said the false rumours and theories were "concerning".

In a statement on Twitter, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said it was "aware of inaccurate information being shared online about 5G".

"There is absolutely no credible evidence of a link between 5G and coronavirus," it added.



In Melling, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said it extinguished a 5G mast tower fire near the M57 motorway late on Friday.

There was damage to the mast and control panels, a spokesman said.

West Midlands Fire Service said the fire in Birmingham on Thursday involved a 70ft tower on a telecommunications site. However, the service said the cause was yet to be identified and could not confirm the mast was 5G.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "We're aware of a fire involving a phone mast, but are awaiting further details on its cause."

On Friday, Facebook removed a page which showed several videos claiming to show 5G towers on fire and encouraged others to do the same.

In addition to warning on the theories about the safety of 5G technologies, Mobile UK added: "More worryingly some people are also abusing our key workers and making threats to damage infrastructure under the pretence of claims about 5G.

"This is not acceptable and only impacts on our ability as an industry to maintain the resilience and operational capacity of the networks to support mass home working and critical connectivity to the emergency services, vulnerable consumers and hospitals."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-52164358

Knew all this talk about Data would cause trouble....

I'll get my coat.....

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 15:28 - Apr 5 with 373 viewsspudgun

And another one.

Step forward Dr Catherine Calderwood, Chief Medical Officer in Scotland, advisor to government ministers and the face of the tv campaign urging people to follow government guidelines - which she has broken twice in the last week and been warned by the police.

Yet Nicola Sturgeon has stood by her, and she hasn't offered her resignation by the looks of it, compounding the initial misdemeanour.

Dangerous hypocrisy of the highest order and poor political judgement by Sturgeon.

Can`t see Calderwood surviving the week...
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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 19:23 - Apr 5 with 349 viewsImperial

I can.

Footballers, billionaires, politicians.

It doesn't apply to me.
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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 23:31 - Apr 5 with 341 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Scotland's chief medical officer resigns over lockdown trip

Scotland's chief medical officer has resigned after apologising for making visits to her second home during the coronavirus lockdown.

Dr Catherine Calderwood initially said she planned to continue in the role.

But she later issued another statement saying she agreed with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that the "justifiable focus" on her actions risked distracting from the pandemic response.

Dr Calderwood had been given a police warning after making the trip to Fife.

The chief medical officer was among those who have been urging the public to stay at home to save lives and protect the NHS.

However, pictures of her during a trip to Earlsferry - more than an hour's drive from her main family home in Edinburgh - on Saturday were published in The Scottish Sun.

Dr Calderwood issued an apology on Sunday morning and said she did not want her "mistake" to distract from the guidance on social distancing.

She later told a press briefing that she had made another visit to the property in Fife last weekend with her husband.

The chief medical officer issued a further apology, but reiterated she would stay in her post.

However, on Sunday evening she released another statement in which she said she was "deeply sorry for my actions and the mistakes I have made".

Dr Calderwood said: "The first minister and I have had a further conversation this evening and we have agreed that the justifiable focus on my behaviour risks becoming a distraction from the hugely important job that government and the medical profession has to do in getting the country through this coronavirus pandemic.

"Having worked so hard on the government's response, that is the last thing I want."

'Very serious mistake'

She said she would work to ensure a smooth transition to her successor.

Ms Sturgeon said it was "clear" that Dr Calderwood's mistake "risks distracting from and undermining confidence in the government's public health message at this crucial time.

"That is not a risk either of us is willing to take."

The first minister added that the "very serious mistake" made by Dr Calderwood should not detract from her "highly valuable contribution to the medical profession and to health in Scotland".

Dr Calderwood was appointed as Scotland's chief medical officer in March 2015.

A former national director for maternity and women's health at NHS England, she was a leading medical expert in the inquiry into maternity care at Morcambe Bay.

Her deputy is Dr Gregor Smith, a GP and former medical director for primary care in NHS Lanarkshire.

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw described Dr Calderwood's decision to stand down as "embarrassing and inevitable".

Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said Ms Sturgeon should have "nipped this in the bud" earlier.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-52177171

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 14:18 - Apr 6 with 336 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Airbnb hosts defy lockdown laws with 'Covid-19 retreats'

Airbnb hosts advertising properties as coronavirus hideouts are "dangerous and irresponsible", the government says.

Owners have listed homes as being "Covid-19 retreats" and "perfect for isolating with family" in the British countryside.

New coronavirus laws say holiday accommodation should be provided only to keyworkers needing to self-isolate.

But some listings on the site allow instant booking of rentals without any vetting, BBC News discovered.

The properties advertised as places to self-isolate include an "idyllic cottage", a houseboat and even a castle.

Only one Airbnb host contacted by BBC News said their rental was available solely to keyworkers.

But others complained the lockdown had disrupted their business.

In response to the BBC News's findings, Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said: "Our advice is clear.

"Essential travel does not include holidays, leisure travel and visits to second homes - and people must remain in their primary residence.

“It is incredibly irresponsible, and dangerous for some property owners to be marketing themselves as ‘isolation retreats’.

"We are writing to companies today to remind them of their responsibilities at this time."



This listing was edited to remove the description above after BBC News contacted the host

Individuals and businesses could face fines of up to £960 for breaking these rules, the government added.

Lost income

Last month, Airbnb announced a worldwide extension to its “extenuating circumstances” policy, stating all guests booked for check-ins between 14 March and 31 May would be eligible for full-refund cancellations.

In a message on its website, the company acknowledged the decision to offer guests a refund had caused hardship for many hosts and it would pay £200m to help cover the cost of these cancellations.

But one Airbnb host told BBC News they had received no clear instructions from the platform to say they were not allowed to take reservations.

The US-based company has yet to respond to the government's intervention.

But earlier this month it released a statement saying: "We announced a platform where hosts on Airbnb are offering NHS and other front-line medical staff free places to stay and Airbnb will waive all fees associated with the stays.

"We are in regular discussions with the government about travel restrictions during the lockdown period and have introduced measures and guidance for both hosts and guests."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52184497

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 14:21 - Apr 6 with 334 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Man fined for 240-mile round trip 'to buy bread'

A man has been fined after he was caught speeding at 110mph on the motorway and told police he had been to London to buy bread.

The man was stopped by officers at about 22:40 BST on Sunday travelling to Nottingham northbound on the M1.

They said he had been in the car with his two young children and claimed bread in London was £1 cheaper.

Leicestershire Police said the man was handed two fixed penalty notices and reported to court for the speeding.

The distance between Nottingham and London is more than 120 miles.

The force said the man was stopped near Junction 22 in Leicestershire.

Police said the man was handed a notice for speeding and the courts would decide the level of the fine.

The second notice was under the Health Protection Regulations 2020, which comes with a £60 fine. It came into force last month to give police powers to punish anyone flouting lockdown restrictions

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-52183888

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 14:28 - Apr 6 with 331 viewsspudgun

And don`t tell me: he failed a drugs test...
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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 16:19 - Apr 7 with 322 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Cuckoo alert

YouTube tightens rules after David Icke 5G interview

YouTube has banned all conspiracy theory videos falsely linking coronavirus symptoms to 5G networks.

The Google-owned service will now delete videos violating the policy. It had previously limited itself to reducing the frequency it recommended them in its Up Next section.

The move follows a live-streamed interview with conspiracy theorist David Icke on Monday, in which he had linked the technology to the pandemic.

YouTube said the video would be wiped.

During the interview, Mr Icke falsely claimed there "is a link between 5G and this health crisis".

And when asked for his reaction to reports of 5G masts being set on fire in England and Northern Ireland, he responded: "If 5G continues and reaches where they want to take it, human life as we know it is over... so people have to make a decision."

Several users subsequently called for further attacks on 5G towers in the comments that appeared alongside the feed.

Mr Icke also falsely claimed that a coronavirus vaccine, when one is developed, will include "nanotechnology microchips" that would allow humans to be controlled. He added that Bill Gates - who is helping fund Covid-19 vaccine research - should be jailed. His views went unchallenged for much of the two-and-a-half-hour show.

Policy violation

The interview was watched by about 65,000 people as it was streamed, some of whom clicked an on-screen button to trigger payments to make their live chat reactions stand out.

YouTube only deleted the content after the session had ended, despite being aware of the broadcast while it was ongoing.

It changed its rules after the BBC asked why it had not taken action earlier.

"We have clear policies that prohibit videos promoting medically unsubstantiated methods to prevent the coronavirus in place of seeking medical treatment, and we quickly remove videos violating these policies when flagged to us," a spokeswoman for YouTube told the BBC.

"Now any content that disputes the existence or transmission of Covid-19, as described by the WHO [World Health Organization] and local health authorities is in violation of YouTube policies.

"This includes conspiracy theories which claim that the symptoms are caused by 5G.

"For borderline content that could misinform users in harmful ways, we reduce recommendations. We'll continue to evaluate the impact of these videos on communities around the world."

Users who repeatedly break the rules now face being prevented from being able to use YouTube's Live tool.

The firm may also prevent repeat offenders from earning money, and said it would terminate channels as a last resort.

In this case, YouTube is allowing the interview's host to keep earnings generated via the Super Chats tool while the video was still online.

But it is giving its own cut of the proceeds to charity, and has put the channel involved under review.

WhatsApp restriction

YouTube's rules update coincides with new restrictions on WhatsApp.

Facebook's app is limiting users to only being able to forward a message to one chat at a time if the same post has already been shared five or more times by the wider community. Such posts are labelled with double arrows to make their status known.

Previously, the app had limited such messages to being forwarded to five different chats at once - a limit it had first introduced in 2018 to combat the spread of disinformation in India.

"We've recently seen a significant increase in the amount of forwarding, which users have told us can feel overwhelming and can contribute to the spread of misinformation," it said, explaining the latest move.

"We believe it's important to slow the spread of these messages down to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversation."

Unfounded theories

Conspiracy theories linking 5G signals to the coronavirus pandemic continue to spread despite there being no evidence the mobile phone signals pose a health risk.

Fact-checking charity Full Fact has linked the claims to two flawed theories.

One falsely suggests 5G suppresses the immune system, the other falsely claims the virus is somehow using the network's radio waves to communicate and pick victims, accelerating its spread.

While 5G uses different radio frequencies to its predecessors, it's important to recognise that the waveband involved is still "non-ionising", meaning it lacks enough energy to break apart chemical bonds in the DNA in our cells to cause damage.

Earlier this year, scientists at the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection completed a major study of related research into the topic.

While it recommended slightly tighter limits on the transmitting capabilities of handsets themselves to minimise any chance of damage caused by human tissue being heated, its key finding was that there was no evidence that either 5G networks or earlier systems could cause cancer or other kinds of illness.

The second theory appears to be based on the work of a Nobel Prize-winning biologist who suggested bacteria could generate radio waves.

But this remains a controversial idea and well outside mainstream scientific thought.

There's another major flaw with both these theories. Coronavirus is spreading in UK cities where 5G has yet to be deployed, and in countries like Japan and Iran that have yet to adopt the technology.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52198946

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 06:38 - Apr 8 with 312 viewsspell_chekker

They're playing on in Burundi.

That makes the only the leagues to continue are in Burundi, Belarus, Nicaragua and Tajikistan

https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/52189541

Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Poll: Would you like Wellens as Manager?

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 17:08 - Apr 8 with 302 viewsspudgun

Jose Mourinho take a bow, son.

Speaks half a dozen languages and is fiercely intelligent, but doesn't understand `stay indoors`.
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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 16:04 - Apr 11 with 264 viewsBringBackTheRedRoom

Belper moo relieves lockdown misery

A "crazy" town has come up with a unique way to fight lockdown boredom - by mooing in unison.

At 18:30 every evening locals in Belper, Derbyshire, gather on doorsteps and lean out of bedroom windows for a two-minute cattle chorus.

Jasper Ward said the bovine bellow was a way to make staying in "a little bit more bearable".

"The crazy people of this town have taken to it like cows to grass," he said.

Speaking on BBC 5 Live, Mr Ward said he expected the project to last for a few days and end with him being "ridiculed on social media".

"But we're three weeks in and at six thirty there's a chorus of moos," he said.

Mr Ward believes hundreds of people join in on busy evenings.

His hometown, which also boasts a Mr Potato Head statue, has a quirky reputation, but he thinks matters may run a little deeper.

"I seem to have unearthed a madness that has only been complimented by this lockdown," he said.

"It's a pretty grim time, so if we can cast a little bit of silliness into the day, that's great."

Becki Farrell said people in the town would talk about this for years: "I'm really pleased he's done something anyone of any age can get involved with for a silly giggle.

"We love the community spirit in Belper."

Isabel Kennedy has mooed since day one, and said: "It's a great way to get the community together be part of something in these crazy and weird times. It's the highlight of my day."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-52252003

Ok, maybe not stupid, but day after day would get bloody annoying for me.

‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’

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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 19:14 - Apr 11 with 240 viewsspell_chekker


Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
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Coronavirus brings out the stupid people on 20:17 - Apr 11 with 234 viewsROTTWEILERS

I suppose it's harmless but it's all very contrived, middle-class "japes". Not for me.

Go Out. See People. Live Your Lives.
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