Lockdown Update Day 151

[elisi]

2016: Sure Trump is bad,but how much damage can he do in four years?

2020: If everybody buys enough stamps, Democracy will survive long enough to reach a vaccine for this deadly virus and we can see a movie again.

— Amir (@blumenfeld) August 14, 2020

Just buying stamps won't do it though. Lots of info here: https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaveTheUSPS?src=hashtag_click

~

(We actually had a lovely day, but the world just keeps getting crazier. I will probably say something about A level results at some point, for now I'm still just staring in abject horror at a government that managed to use 'The computer says no' to enforce privilege.)

~

Today's art. Dog Sees the Spirits, 1960 by artist of Inuit heritage Kenojuak Ashevak (x):

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

That's a fun painting. And yes, we couldn't even imagine what a wake of destruction was going to happen. Even if Biden wins they'll be spending at least two years trying to fix all the sabotage to the departments and staffing.

[elisi]

The painting charmed me immensely.

And yeah, so much destruction. :( I can't begin to imagine trying to put it all back together again.

[kaffy_r]

Thanks for the painting; it's gorgeous. As an aside, I grew up with Inuit artistry, but didn't know how much Canada was mistreating its indigenous citizens, and I'm glad that my country is finally beginning to acknowledge its own racist history.

Regarding the USPS; on the neighborhood bulletin board to which I'm subscribed, just today someone took a picture of a locked and bolted mailbox.

[elisi]

Thanks for the painting; it's gorgeous.
It was too whimsical not to share. :)

As an aside, I grew up with Inuit artistry, but didn't know how much Canada was mistreating its indigenous citizens, and I'm glad that my country is finally beginning to acknowledge its own racist history.
I hear ya. And lucky you, that kind of art must have been great to grow up with.

Regarding the USPS; on the neighborhood bulletin board to which I'm subscribed, just today someone took a picture of a locked and bolted mailbox.
Yeah, there's photos of mailboxes loaded onto trucks too. :(

[kaffy_r]

According to WaPo, the putative Postmaster General *ptui* has announced he's "suspending" changes until after the election. No word yet on whether he's going to order the return and unlocking of removed and locked postboxes and post office branches.

[elisi]

Yeah I'm following from a distance and just... if it was any other year, I'd say it was unbelievable, but it seems par for the course for 2020.

I think my favourite comment was someone on Twitter who said that it was almost cartoon like - if Daffy Duck was going to throw an election he'd probably be stealing mailboxes...

[kaffy_r]

I think I'm going to attend a Saturday rally at one of our local post offices to support the USPS.

if Daffy Duck was going to throw an election he'd probably be stealing mailboxes...

*snort* Yep.

[elisi]

I think I'm going to attend a Saturday rally at one of our local post offices to support the USPS.
Go you! *cheers you on*

[kaffy_r]

Unfortunately, BB was ill on Saturday, so I didn't go, but I'm pretty sure there will be other rallies for the postal service. I'm also willing to call my legislators, although I'm in a solidly blue set of districts, both U.S. House and Senate, where my reps support the Post Office. Maybe I can get up the gumption to do the "Call the Asshole Postmaster General" thing. I don't know, but I should do something. I absolutely need to do, rather than talk. It shouldn't be so hard.

[elisi]

I absolutely need to do, rather than talk. It shouldn't be so hard.
*nods* I know what you mean. Although I think the problem is that there are so MANY problems. I don't know where to start...

[kaffy_r]

You folks on that side of the Atlantic are afflicted in the same ways we are, yes; afflicted in many different ways.

God, I wish 2020 were over. The only thing about wishing that, of course, is the near-certain knowledge that 2021 could well be even worse.

*twitches, decides to try to write fanfic instead of looking at real world problems*

[elisi]

You folks on that side of the Atlantic are afflicted in the same ways we are, yes; afflicted in many different ways.
I have a feeling we'll need to hit rock bottom (in whatever way that will manifest itself) before we can begin to climb back out.

God, I wish 2020 were over. The only thing about wishing that, of course, is the near-certain knowledge that 2021 could well be even worse.
Aye. We have Brexit on the horizon and they are steering straight towards that cliff.

*twitches, decides to try to write fanfic instead of looking at real world problems*
I'd say same here, except work is CRAZY BUSY so I'm mostly too tired to write.

[kaffy_r]

Good luck on the work load. And, while I don't have any idea how one could steer away from the Brexit cliff, I'm hoping something can happen that isn't completely a horror show.

[elisi]

Thank you. <3

And re Brexit then... IDK. Part of me has this feeling we simply have to break things completely in order for people to wake up? Although that's sort of what's happening in the US and lots of people are just becoming more entrenched, so that might not be right either.

*sigh*

In any case, I'm holding onto my EU passport.

[watervole]

I'm loving some of the art you post.

[elisi]

Thank you! ♥

(Apologies for the late reply...)

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

Funny, but so scary in its accuracy!

Stacey

[elisi]

[gillo]

I spent many years of Results Day coping with distraught teenagers. Next Thursday will be worse.

I cannot believe they had this long and still managed to foul it up so comprehensively. I am so angry I start shaking when I think about it. These are lives, not data to be manipulated by algorithms.

2016 was an dreadful year in many, many ways. 2020 is just working on beating it, but that doesn't make 2016 good.

[elisi]

I spent many years of Results Day coping with distraught teenagers. Next Thursday will be worse.
*works in the Admissions team of a FE college* *eyes up all the alcohol*

I cannot believe they had this long and still managed to foul it up so comprehensively. I am so angry I start shaking when I think about it. These are lives, not data to be manipulated by algorithms.
This. It's literally discrimination by computer.

2016 was an dreadful year in many, many ways. 2020 is just working on beating it, but that doesn't make 2016 good.
No, I remember 2016 as the year when everything just kept getting worse...

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

Good God, that's terrifyingly accurate X_X;

[elisi]

Have used this above, but it's too good not to use again:

[sea_thoughts]

Loving the artwork.

[elisi]

This post needed something to lift it. :)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

IGCSEs were as screwed as A levels. So no hope for the GCSEs next week.

And, of course, if Michael Gove hadn't decided everyone's results should always be decided by one BIG exam full of 'acceptable facts', because course work is 'girly' and disadvantages the superior male gender, most of the students would already have at least half their grade decided, so making it harder to insist the computer knows best, and that you can't possibly have done better than someone else at your school did last year. But I don't expect he has felt one iota of guilt over the current debacle because... Michael Gove.

[elisi]

IGCSEs were as screwed as A levels. So no hope for the GCSEs next week.
Yeah, as someone who works in the admissions team of a FE college... we are watching the oncoming storm helpless to do anything.

And, of course, if Michael Gove hadn't decided everyone's results should always be decided by one BIG exam full of 'acceptable facts', because course work is 'girly' and disadvantages the superior male gender, most of the students would already have at least half their grade decided, so making it harder to insist the computer knows best,
This this this.

But I don't expect he has felt one iota of guilt over the current debacle because... Michael Gove.
Eldritch terrors don't tend to go in for that, no. (This is presuming familiarity with The Brexit Tapes.)