International Events VIII: Been living under a rock so long

[The Anti-Targ]

If you think the crazy isn't here:

Quote

A law lecturer has resigned from Auckland University of Technology following comments she made on Covid-19, last year’s US presidential election, and the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting.

...

Benjamin went on to call the Covid-19 pandemic a “medical false flag” and claim that one of the reasons for its “introduction” was to justify mail-in ballots in the 2020 US Presidential election. She claimed the election was “not over”, that Donald Trump would be back, and that would be “very handy” for removing Jacinda Ardern from her role as Prime Minister of New Zealand.

She also discussed ways to “shut down” the country, before Eastwood made a disclaimer that encouraging activity that breaks Covid-19 restrictions would be a breach of his bail conditions.

During the interview, Benjamin claimed the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings were “such an obvious false flag”, implying they were perpetrated by the government, some other organisation, or were faked altogether, predicting that “Christchurch will be revealed eventually”.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300458379/aut-lecturer-resigns-after-false-covid19-mosque-attack-claims

The belief is so strong that people make career ending statements out in the public eye. Incredible.

[TheLastWolf]

So it's goodbye for the final time. Floods (not kidding) postponed my exit. When we thought the South West monsoon was terrifying, it was a pleasant shower compared to the havoc being wrecked by the North East one in  the southern states of India. Meanwhile Modi (promised to, in the monsoon session of the parliament) withdrew the 3 controversial farm laws that drew year long protest from farmers at the capital Delhi's border, gathering support from Rihanna and Mia Khalifa to Greta Thunberg et al.  After exceeding my self imposed limit for few last posts by a couple of dozen and bidding adieu north of the forum Wall, down south adios.

[Zorral]

10 hours ago, TheLastWolf said:

After exceeding my self imposed limit for few last posts by a couple of dozen and bidding adieu north of the forum Wall, down south adios.

[Padraig]

This survey got some attention here.  I did find it very interesting as it compares worldwide views on some big issues.  For example:

• 92% of Chinese people agree that we are heading for environmental disaster unless we change our habits quickly.  71% of Americans (which sounds good, except one of the lower scores).
• 24% of Chinese people would like their country to be the way it used to be.  74% of Indians.  59% of Americans.
• 56% of Americans agree that having large differences in income and wealth is bad for society overall.  Compared to 81% of Germans.
• While 65% of Germans agree that my local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together, compared to 75% of Americans  and 86% of Chinese.
• 35% of Americans feel that I more a citizen of the world than a citizen of my country compared to 67% of Indians and 51% of Italians.

It goes on and on.  Lots of findings.  Some surprising.  Some not so.

[broken one]

Meanwhile in Poland... government plans to set up central pregnancy register. By chance some fundamentalist organisation (supported by ruling party) submitted project of penal code change, equating abortion with murder.

It's a beautiful country we live in, a sweet romantic place

[Zorral]

"Contending With the Pandemic, Wealthy Nations Wage Global Battle for Migrants
Covid kept many people in place. Now several developed countries, facing aging labor forces and worker shortages, are racing to recruit, train and integrate foreigners."

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/23/world/asia/immigration-pandemic-labor-shortages.html

[The Anti-Targ]

Assuming a lot of countries have vaccine mandates for healthcare staff, I can imagine there will be considerable international recruitment pressure for vaccinated healthcare professionals, since even if only a very small % of healthcare professionals refuse vaccination it still creates an increased demand.

Similarly with teachers, here at least.

I am still hoping that with doctors, nurses, midwives etc, almost all who have been in mainstream medical practice who have refused vaccination are doing it as a protest against the coercive policy, but that they will get vaccinated once they feel their protest action has sent whatever message it is they think they wanted to send.

All those healthcare professionals are still registered to practise, so they can still provide remote consultations, and I imagine many of them will provide under-the-table in-person service to their anti-vax friends and supporters. So I expect a somewhat blackmarket medical sector to form, which is fine by me since it will take some pressure off the above board sector, and of course those people will have to charge directly for their services since they won't be able to claim the govt subsidy that usually comes with these services.

[Zorral]

On the other hand, wealthy countries poaching these STEM and medical and educational personnel -- what about the care and development of the citizens in their own countries?  It's again that thing of putting immigrants to work in elder care / nursing homes at horrible wages and conditions -- who is taking care of those people's families?

[HoodedCrow]

My province has been raided. We took doctors from Ireland, but they have gone home for the most part. I won’t practice my specialty here, as I would need to re up my certifications. I’m too old to want to.

[The Anti-Targ]

For the most part the desperation will be to fill the professional gaps: doctors, nurses, midwives, physical therapists, registered teachers arising from vaccine mandates. A lot of the care / convalescent institutions of the health care sector have been running on relatively short staff in the non-professional space, so a couple of % more short will be manageable. They won't be able to cop with a couple % more shortfall in the professional staff though. Here at least, immigrant professional staff aren't legally able to be paid less than homegrown professionals with the same qualification and experience. Whether private institutions obey the law or not is a different matter, though where professional registration is required it's hard to skirt the law since immigrant staff in those positions will be known to the immigration department, will have visas, be known to the professional body and will have citizen / resident peers in the workplace. So not so easy for employers to exploit the insecurity of being in the country and working without the proper visa.

There won't be a mad scramble to try to fill non-professional vacancies with immigrant staff, partly because the govt will not open the door to non-professional immigrants. The immigration settings will be geared towards areas of significant need, and pretty much the only non-professional areas recognised as in significant need is seasonal agriculture work, for which we have long standing arrangements with various pacific Island countries to meet those needs. One interesting thing in the agriculture sector is we have a lot of Filipino workers in the dairy industry and they have a very good reputation.

[HoodedCrow]

I did ask if I could certify to do respiratory therapy. I was told to move to a different city, so that I could study for a year out of my own pocket and that also makes no sense. Meh.

[rotting sea cow]

I've been told today that Russia is evacuating as many civilians as possible from the Donbas area and Ukraine and US are pissed about it. Shit may hit the fan soon there.

 

 

 

[HoodedCrow]

Surprise?

[DireWolfSpirit]

13 hours ago, rotting sea cow said:

I've been told today that Russia is evacuating as many civilians as possible from the Donbas area and Ukraine and US are pissed about it. Shit may hit the fan soon there.

 

 

 

Interesting, hope to hear any updates on this development if you come across more of this story in the coming weeks.

[rotting sea cow]

4 hours ago, DireWolfSpirit said:

Interesting, hope to hear any updates on this development if you come across more of this story in the coming weeks.

to be honest. The rumor comes from a nice Armenian lady I know, well immersed in Eastern European immigrant subculture. She was right when she said that Russian troops where in Armenia several days before the news broke. Things there are hot as well and Russia has been threatening Azerbaijan with invasion if they don't stop the BS.

Now, she is a bit on the conspiracy theory side and she claims she had COVID in Summer 2019 when visiting her family. Antibodies are positive, she tells me, but that doesn't tell much at this stage.

 

[broken one]

Zelenski announced he got information about planned coup. Rinat Achmetow, the richest Ukrainian oligarch is said to be engaged in the plot.

If it is true, congratulations to Ukrainian counter-inteligence. Such a perfect plan went down the drain!

[The Anti-Targ]

3 hours ago, rotting sea cow said:

to be honest. The rumor comes from a nice Armenian lady I know, well immersed in Eastern European immigrant subculture. She was right when she said that Russian troops where in Armenia several days before the news broke. Things there are hot as well and Russia has been threatening Azerbaijan with invasion if they don't stop the BS.

Now, she is a bit on the conspiracy theory side and she claims she had COVID in Summer 2019 when visiting her family. Antibodies are positive, she tells me, but that doesn't tell much at this stage.

 

Interesting you say that, because I have a casual friend (i.e. I don't know her that well, so can't really speak to her conspiracy leanings, but she doesn't strike me as so inclined) who was visiting Iran in early 2019 and she says she got sick with all the main symptoms of COVID-19 at that time and she is convinced COVID-19 is what she had. Never been tested though.

If your acquaintance was recently antibody tested then that is quite unlikely to indicate her most recent infection was all the way back in 2019. But having I assume not suffered any symptoms from her more recent exposure, if she is not vaccinated that might well indicate a prior infection. Though that is also not telling much at this stage.

[Zorral]

Revenge of the Feral Porkchops!  Surely there is a movie by now as it's been going on for quite a few years in Europe and NA?  (Now armadillos and bears also, in NA, plus ye old timers such as wild turkeys, killer bees, mosquitos.  Geese are also becoming more than uppity and even refusing to migrate.)

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-pigs-chaos-uk-golf-course-20211126-izniramja5cdnmpgsswkglegii-story.html

 

[broken one]

19 hours ago, Zorral said:

Revenge of the Feral Porkchops!  Surely there is a movie by now as it's been going on for quite a few years in Europe and NA?  (Now armadillos and bears also, in NA, plus ye old timers such as wild turkeys, killer bees, mosquitos.  Geese are also becoming more than uppity and even refusing to migrate.)

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-pigs-chaos-uk-golf-course-20211126-izniramja5cdnmpgsswkglegii-story.html

 

Wild boar population in Poland grows, boars do not fear ummies anymore and invade towns, searching for tasty spoilage. In Dębica over 100 citizens signed a proposal to introduce wolves, bears and crocodiles (!!!) to forests surrounding the town, so that they would fight the boars. The request was submitted to the town council and it will be put to the vote. Councilmen assure they will vote against.

[Zorral]

2 hours ago, broken one said:

crocodiles (!!!

  Desperate times demand desperate measures!

Though -- are bear and boar naturally enemies?  Unless, maybe the boar and wolves attempt to appropriate the bear's dinner? Though both bear and boar (who are related genetically right?) are omnivorous.