Tales of the Belt, Part 9: The Fall of Amazon – CCP

by | Sep 13, 2021 | Fiction, Fun | 147 comments

 CCP

 

“So much for the Communist Collusion that Bezos took up, and the free Market took him down, in a day.” /some policy wonk

 

Twenty years on,

 Until now, we had enjoyed peace and Commerce.  Established trade routes, Trillions of tons of Resources, Humans were on the Map! With such decentralised Governments as we had, the Free market blossomed like never before in History, with new colonies in the Asteroid belt, Ceres, Capernia and Hydra, new finds were being exploited on an almost weekly basis. Better still a consortium had cooked up a way to make cash, so we were on our way to the Gas giants, to explore and exploit, like the Explorers of old.

 

The Collapse

 Some of us managers knew, or had a feeling, so we were Coordinating, trying to figure out what would happen to us when the big A took a big Shit, most saw it coming. We knew it would happen fast, but our Government either didn’t know or didn’t care.I lost my job because I wouldn’t comply, but that’s how big things start. My name is Bob, call me Bobbio, most do, I used to manage a facility, short runs to the close asteroids, easy work, until the slowdown, as if they knew what was coming.  I organized a network of Managers and we created contingency plans, when when Amazon was hit, we just weren’t ready. 

   The Luna Facility was erased, and the only reason the Mars group was spared was because. Well, Mars. Once we knew the fleet was destroyed, we were become wanderers, with no home, or means of supply, we were dead. That’s when Elon stepped up. The scene at the Spaceport was intense, we had nowhere near enough ships to evacuate everyone, then the first SS landed, then  the Second, and a Third, The marines cordoned off the area with live fire, and the Fugees got out. On and on through the next month, Elon saved the Amazonians, and gave them their own stake in shipping, and so They became Uighur Shipping Inc. and we were doing well.

 

“They came from out of the Black, hundreds of what we thought to be God rods, but they were just rocks, all very precise, all very devastating, and we were fucked, to coin an old phrase”/railship gunner m.k.

 

 The attack on our Territories wasn’t direct at all, they hit us in a different way. By targeting the rocks in the path of our Colony rocks, they created an unavoidable debris field, not just knocking out our infrastructure, but our comm signals as well. Others weren’t as fortunate, the Amazon/CCP base was erased by one rock, they estimated it at 100 meters in diameter, a direct hit, there was no chance for them, if there ever was. Ceres suffered a glancing blow, with 100 Million dead, but they survived. As we picked up the pieces, TPTB were zeroing origin points, and the Railships were underway in a spherical defence sweep, but we still had no idea what we were after.

 

 With the rise and subsequent fall of Amazon, the CCP had a great foil, and covered their tracks well, they had railguns, we knew that, but for the last 2 decades they have laid low, operating from Luna and a few Asteroids, we considered them a non threat to us. As it has always been, the CCP is patient, and built its own networks, while still trading with the Sol System, biding their time as they have always done, waiting for the time to strike.

 

 It was the Gas Giant Consortium that did the heavy lifting, they spun their sensors around and provided targeting for our ships, then hit hi G and Out! Good enough for us, we began taking out fixed emplacements like fish in a barrel, then the first of our ships was vaporized. The fleet performed a split wing, and flanked what turned out to be 500 plus CCP ships; we had been ambushed! Intelligence had screwed the pooch again, so fight we did. The pickets were easy enough, but the Destroyers were having a field day with our Frigates, one Captain would comment, “there seems to be something wrong with our Shells, they can’t hit anything” His ship was subsequently destroyed.

 Once we completed the flanking maneuver, they were ours, you see, the CCP ships seem to make very slow turns, and ours were built for hi G turns, living in the Belt we build for that,

we hit their Engines and Ventral sections, most declared mayday! Some self-destructed, fair enough. A loss of 18 ships and 6k Souls on our side, against 300 ships lost, 200 taken as prizes, and who knows how many dead. We Sunned our dead, cleaned up and sent the former CCP home, you can’t take prisoners out here, and we actually hate bloodshed, Life is hard enough out here.

Life goes on..

 

About The Author

Yusef drives a Kia

Yusef drives a Kia

Punctually illiterate But never late

147 Comments

  1. DEG

    we hit their Engines and Ventral sections, most declared mayday! Some self-destructed, fair enough. A loss of 18 ships and 6k Souls on our side, against 300 ships lost, 200 taken as prizes, and who knows how many dead. We Sunned our dead, cleaned up and sent the former CCP home, you can’t take prisoners out here, and we actually hate bloodshed, Life is hard enough out here.

    Nice ending.

  2. Yusef drives a Kia

    All this time, I was finding myself,
    I didn’t know I was lost,

  3. hayeksplosives

    We Sunned our dead.

    • hayeksplosives

      Poetic.

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        We are a Solar Species, it just seems right,

    • Tres Cool
    • rhywun

      Vanderberg Space Force Base

      I would like to know more!

      • db

        Vanderberg? that is a renaming

      • hayeksplosives

        Vandenberg with an “n” not an “r”.

        Silly autocorrect.

        It was Vandenberg airforce base for 80+ years, but now it’s mostly doing SpaceX and NASA launches, so out with the old and in with the new!

      • db

        I think it would have been awesome to see an STS mission launch from there, but after 1986, it was not to be.

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        I watched a few from The Wedge back in in the ’80s, good stuff!

      • blackjack

        They used to fly right over us, when I lived in VTA. Lot of sonic booms, too.

      • hayeksplosives

        What I find exciting (and relevant to Yusef’s space exploration riff) is that tonight is the launch of a bunch of key laser-comm enabled Star Link satts that get us all one step closer to non-govt controlled communication and internet AND that Thursday will see the launch of Inspiration4 all-civilian crewed mission that will orbit the earth higher than the ISS orbit.

        And it’s now so routine that it barely gets any press.

        If you have Netflix, watch Countdown.

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        Hail Elon! A human that wants us off of this planet

      • blackjack

        I’m waiting for the time when the saying, “Stop the world, I want off!” will be answered with, “Sure, here you go!”

      • Gustave Lytton

        Thanks HE! I think days and dreams of non-government control are dead, and died when the internet stopped recognizing censorship as damage. But still nice to see an alternative and put pressure on other operators.

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      Look for a Bluish green, flair, followed by the remants of the first stage against the dying light,

      • dbleagle

        Once the flight is up I recommend tracking the satellites for a few days. They will appear as a line of lights, almost like a train at a distance until they disperse.

        A great site to use is: https://heavens-above.com/ Enter your location in the top right corner to find your view.

        The easiest place to start is the Live sky view” or if you know the mission parameters enter that.

        While you are there check the ISS passes for your location.

  4. blackjack

    Went and voted in person. The walk in polls were fairly busy. Not well run, as it’s the first time for this configuration. It’s been the first time for each configuration since about 2018 here. I liked when you went to your precinct and inked dots for your choices. Did it that way for 30 years and it seemed more secure and worked plenty fine. Of course, the other party would win sometimes back then, so it had to go.

    • hayeksplosives

      If voting could really change something significantly, they wouldn’t let us do it.

      • blackjack

        Yeah, but it got rid of Gray Davis back in ’03. Firing the losers is important to do, no matter who replaces them. Imagine Gray running for president or being a senator? Fire them before their power grows.

      • hayeksplosives

        With Newsom poised to win California recall, another indication COVID politics may be starting to favor Democrats over Republicans

        Scuse me—Covid Politics?!?! We aren’t even doing phrasing anymore?

        Link

    • KSuellington

      I also voted for Elder and would absolutely be ecstatic if he somehow pulled off the upset of the century. More for how it would be a complete middle finger to the Dems and the shutdowns. It would have really forced the Dems to reconsider their hard surge to the left. Up until a few weeks ago it looked like it was at least a good possibility, polls were just about even. The past couple weeks polls have been showing a total blowout in Greaseball’s favor. I imaging masks will be with us for years here now and lockdowns will be back in some form soon enough. Fucking depressing ass shit.

      • hayeksplosives

        I do think that His Gel-Haired Highness has been stripped of his anointed status as future Donkey presidental nominee.

        He was being groomed for that and was doing plenty of preening of his own.

        Problem is, now he will seek revenge for being denied his entitled right. At least with Herself, she had no office or power after she lost.

      • KSuellington

        Yeah, that is what I am afraid of. He will take his revenge on us for the next 14 months of his term, and I don’t doubt he (or someone worse) will be the winner come 2022 here. It’s getting tougher and tougher to stay here.

      • rhywun

        I shudder to think of the reign of terror he will unleash if he wins.

        California ’bout to get punished.

      • blackjack

        Man polls are just one tool they use to help “fortify” elections. This one is harder than normal, because so many people are actually walking in to vote and many dems are voting to fire the asshole. most of the predicting is based on how many dems voted so far. They can’t imagine any of them not voting party line. Recalls are not like that. We vote to fire him or not. He’s got nothing to point to except his belief that Larry Elder is a white supremacist. That’s how fucking stupid he is.

      • KSuellington

        I really hope you are right blackjack. I’m putting way too much emotional energy in this one, but the past 18 months have really pissed me off. I view this election, much more than last November, as a statement on the pandemic response. Him winning will be all the more fuel for the lockdowners and maskers. They will have won total and complete vindication.

      • Chafed

        Same here to all of it. I walked in to do early voting. I did not want my ballot getting lost in the mail.

        I don’t particularly trust the polls on this one. I’m not saying Newsom won’t win. I just think there is widespread frustration. It wouldn’t surprise me if some people are lying to pollsters.

      • Gender Traitor

        Any trustworthy websites to follow for results?

  5. db

    I find the GOES animation loops mesmerizing. Here’s the Eastern CONUS GEO Color Loop.

  6. Tundra

    Life goes on..

    Fuckin’ A.

    It’s already getting dark and it’s only 7:30. The last few months flew by so fast that the simple fact that summer is over slipped by me.

    However, I have a song.

    Thanks, Yusef.

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      You’re welcome,

      • hayeksplosives

        I want to see your tales from the belt properly edited and typed up and made into a E-book.

        A Kindle ebook might be a little too ironic though… /Alanis

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        hmmm, I need to finish it, but yeah,

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        But who would edit an idiot such as I ?

  7. trshmnstr the terrible

    OT: Tom Woods with a timeless life lesson:

    Remember: evil bastards don’t say, “We’re extending our power over you because we’re evil bastards.” Duh. They say, “We’re extending our power over you for your own good.”

    • hayeksplosives

      I apologize for pasting this twice in as many days, but here is C.S. Lewis:

      Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

      • Tundra

        I’m reading The Screwtape Letters as we speak. It’s amazingly appropriate and makes me feel way better about what’s going on.

        This shit is as old as time.

      • hayeksplosives

        “When the whole world is running toward a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.”

        Clive Staples Lewis

    • straffinrun

      You can’t disabuse someone of a bad idea if they like being abused.

      • Chafed

        New Zealand also waves hello.

  8. Winston

    https://www.rebelnews.com/tags/rebel_news_exclusive

    There are 49 names on each page, and it’s 29 pages long. That means there’s nearly 1,500 news media took the bribe.

    Flat-out bribery of the media. Gee I wonder why they would do this?

    Also the fact that statists can just flat-out bribe people into submission does kinda undermine the whole doux commerce thing. Capitalists selling their own rope and all…

    • Winston

      For example the welfare state exists solely because the economy is big enough to tax and bribe people into supporting it…

  9. Yusef drives a Kia

    “Cat, why do you keep fucking up? these adventures are killing you”
    “Kerry, i don’t know, I just need to be out, amongst the planets, and hopefully the stars”
    “well, good luck buddy, I can’t help you anymore”
    …………….

  10. rhywun

    OK I’ve seen enough of these “USAA” commercials to wonder… how do they get with their discrimination?

      • rhywun

        They only do business with military folk. Just wondering how that is legal.

      • Gender Traitor

        Credit unions have to restrict their membership to those in “select employee groups” (SEGs) or those in a specific geographic area. Similar requirement in their charter, maybe?

      • UnCivilServant

        The restriction has to be just for joining.

        I’ve been a member of an employment related credit union for longer than I care to admit, and haven’t worked for the employer it was tied to in almost as long.

      • Gender Traitor

        Yup – once you’re in, you’re in. When I first started working at the CU (longer ago than I care to admit,) our field of membership was SEG-based. Some members thought they had to close their accounts when they retired, but ‘taint so.

    • blackjack

      The thing I like about the jacket is, he sucked ass so bad that he helped drive us out of there and over to here. That and all the cool jokes about how bad he sucked.

    • rhywun

      Linked there:

      Americans support Biden’s federal employer vaccine mandate, 58/36

      We are well and truly fucked if this bears out. And deserve everything we get.

      • blackjack

        Polls. They serve a purpose, especially for petty tyrants who want to tyrant more. Just hearing this helps to demoralize us. You don’t think they’d start publishing them for that reason alone? Studies show that sure in the fuck would, according to experts. Fortify until it hurts.

      • rhywun

        Fair enough. I am not familiar with the outfit that put out that poll – could be BS for all I know.

      • trshmnstr the terrible

        It’s a safe assumption that any poll set out for public consumption is garbage. How much garbage depends on the polling company, but an honest assessment of true margin of error would probably result in error bands large enough to make the poll pointless.

      • kbolino

        I’m surprised it’s that low. The sort of people who answer polls are the sort of people who watch CNN religiously.

      • rhywun

        Good point.

        I’m not answering my workplace poll. I’m certainly not responding to some rando who asks.

  11. straffinrun

    Either I’m getting used to Yusef’s writing or this installment was a bit more comprehensible to me. Interesting stuff and you can’t say Yman doesn’t pull you into his universe.

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      🙂 Thankee! always a new tale!

  12. rhywun

    More on the 9/11 theater at ground zero – guess what happens when the cameras stop rolling.

    • MikeS

      Fuckers.

      The closing line was great:

      You, Biden and Pelosi, have done this to yourselves.

  13. hayeksplosives

    SpaceX launch tonight from Vandenberg with potential for stunning light show off the CA coast.

    There is a planned launch tonight of a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB (Space Force Base – they changed the name recently), and it appears to be on schedule for 8:55 p.m. PDT. The vehicle will probably head toward the south-southeast after liftoff and generally follow the California coast. If the sky is clear, the event could be visible to the unaided eye for hundreds of miles. You don’t need to be near the coast to see it, as the rocket will be hundreds of miles up by the time it’s visible in the San Diego area. The sun should illuminate the rocket’s plume at that altitude as well.
     
    SpaceX will provide any information on the launch, such as cancellations, and also will begin a live webcast of the launch, starting 15 minutes before scheduled launch time.

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      31 minutes away, look for a big Bluegreen plume, it’s fucking awesome!

  14. straffinrun

    After I finish up the details on her legs, I’ll put her in a tatami room with a pot of tea. Thoughts? https://ibb.co/PQ3tLx7

    • Tundra

      Thoughts?

      You are getting really fucking good at this.

      Tea is perfect.

      • straffinrun

        Honestly, I was tempted to cheese out and put a crack pipe in front of her.

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        A weed nugget in Greyscale green…

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      That’s beautiful, wow!

      • straffinrun

        Japanese chicks have beautiful, bulbous buttocks when sitting seiza (that style of sitting).

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        There are a few thinner ladies I find attractive, but hips and Big boobs are so awesome!

    • Chafed

      1. That’s great drawing.
      2. Needs moar boobz.

  15. Yusef drives a Kia

    Anyone who complains about Elon, think about this ULA can’t come close for twice the price!

    “The booster supporting this mission previously launched Telstar 18 VANTAGE, Iridium-8, and seven Starlink missions. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean. One half of Falcon 9’s fairing halves previously supported NROL-108 and the other previously flew on GPS III-3 and Turksat-5A.

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      10th mission for the first stage, Badass!

    • MikeS

      Cool! Thanks, Yusef!

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        Thank Elon, a visionary,

  16. Yusef drives a Kia

    Time to Fly! thanks HE!

  17. Chafed

    I’ve only seen about an hour of football but it seems like the networks are doing less woke bullshit. I know the NFL is still doing it. I think the networks are doing what they can to avoid it.

    • creech

      Yeah, I liked the slogans several teams were displaying on the back of their helmets: “Each Life Matters,” “Free Capitalism,” “Taxation is Theft,” “Justice for Ashlii.”

      • rhywun

        The only one I noticed that wasn’t a team name was multiple instances of “End Racism”.

    • hayeksplosives

      You are correct; NFL has been watchable this week.

      Numbers don’t lie and they lost hundreds of millions last year. They almost went broke going woke.

      I’m genuinely surprised Roger Goodell still has a job.

      • Chafed

        As I recall, the owners signed him to a long term, high dollar contract a couple of years ago. I wonder what they say privately about him now.

  18. Yusef drives a Kia

    Success! of course,

  19. UnCivilServant

    Finally made it to Cripple Creek from the Grand Canyon.

    It was a long and mountainous road, and I get the impression the altitude is going to kick my ass. Training at 53 feet above sea level failed to prepare for almost 9500 feet above sea level. I didn’t realize how much the air pressure differential was until my dad opened a water bottle that had been closed since the grand canyon (6500 feet) and the pressure inside the bottle sent the cap flying with a pop before the threads were even fully disengaged. Worse, the town appears to exist in an area with no level ground, it’s all hillside. Or mountainside, rather.

    I’m also disappointed that during the drive from the canyon to here, I spotted bear, a buffalo farm, and a llama by the side of the road and got pictures of none of them, despite having my camera out and not being the driver for that leg of the trip.

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      That is a gnarly trip, I took shelf road from Canon City once, oh fuck, leave now!

    • straffinrun

      Extra points for taking out the llama.

      • straffinrun

        I bet he misses you, too.

    • straffinrun

      Civ’s a good boy, loves his llama
      Loves Hagis and Aspergers, too.

      • hayeksplosives

        Legit snort right there.

        Man, Coke Zero burns when inhaled.

      • Chafed

        (Late) Tom Petty hardest hit.

  20. Yusef drives a Kia

    Tales of the Belt, Elon, that’s it.

  21. grrizzly

    Staying in a Waldorf Astoria in Key West for three nights in November. I hope it’s not as bad as Provincetown, MA.

    • Chafed

      What happened in Ptown?

      • grrizzly

        Everybody was wearing masks outdoors in August 2020. Commercial St was declared a mandatory mask zone with official signs on every corner.

      • Chafed

        It’s Florida. Unless it’s some sort of anti-DeSantis protest, I’ve got to believe you’ll be fine.

    • Shpip

      The Casa Marina is a nice resort. I had no idea that the place had been sold to Hilton. It’s quite a distance from Mallory Square and all of its attendant silliness, so you can have a nice, quiet time if you like. If you must go to Old Town, try to find out what day the cruise ships won’t be calling — avoid the crowds clogging up the sidewalks. The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and Truman’s Little White House are the most interesting sites in that part of town, IMO. 90% of cruise ship tourists go to Sloppy Joe’s or Margaritaville. The remaining 10% go to Hemingway House.

      You’ll be walking distance from Louie’s Backyard and El Siboney. Go to the former for dinner, the latter for lunch. Antonia’s on Duval is the best restaurant on the tourist strip, and it’s worth making a reservation for dinner as well.

      • grrizzly

        Bookmarking this.

      • db

        Banana Cafe.

  22. dbleagle

    Sumofabeetch. My comment disappeared.

    I recommend using https://heavens-above.com/ to track the satellites for the next several days. (The site already has predicted visible times leaded.)

    For a couple of days the individual units trail each other and look like a distant passenger train crossing the sky. They will soon separate and go to their own orbits. But until they do it is a very interesting and unusual sight.

    The site also has “Live Sky View” to show what is visible at at given time. Once you open the website go to the upper right corner and log in your location and save it. From that time when you open it will always be for your location.

    • hayeksplosives

      Thanks, Double!

      I drove down the hill a quarter mile and parked in the dark golf course parking lot. We’re in Palomar Observatory light exclusion zone so there was very little light pollution.

      I turned the Tesla screen to “web browser” and brought up the SpaceX live feed. I left it running and got out of the car to look at the sky. There I saw a very twinkly object, more shimmery than a typical star, and thought “Is that it?” Then right on time the narrator said it was separating and sure enough, it did!

      Then the main body went higher and higher. It had a tail like a comet but it was red, not blue-white.

      It was awesome. So glad I went down to see it.

      For a moment everything seemed possible.

  23. Yusef drives a Kia

    Cool! thanks!

    • hayeksplosives

      I am having trouble finding a live count of the California recall election.

      I am now sufficiently distrustful of the media that I assume they are delaying the broadcast of results while they madly scramble to spin the truth and allow time fir fortifying the election.

      This morning a local news website accidentally released their article on how and why Newsom had beaten Larry Elder and what it meant for the Donks nationwide, and was a validation and indication of public support for COVID lockdowns. Much tongue bathing.

      They pulled down the article. Polls hadn’t even opened yet.

  24. Yusef drives a Kia

    Some images melt me, have a good night kids!

    • hayeksplosives

      Lupita Nyong’o wins this round easily.

      • one true athena

        I don’t know if she chooses her gowns herself, but she and/or stylist are very good at choosing her looks.

        The rest? yeah, I don’t even know who half of them are, and the ones I do know aren’t flattered. MetGala’s always a bit funny too because the actresses dress like it’s the Oscars and they look so boring. At least JLo knows how to get into the spirit of it without also looking like a parachute threw up on a chain link fence. The models all have the same look on their faces, because they do this shit all the time. lol

        and Megan Fox. Yikes, girl, what have you done?

      • hayeksplosives

        “ ooking like a parachute threw up on a chain link fence”

        Lol

      • Ozymandias

        I scrolled through only because you linked it, HX. I must have missed the two classy ones.
        I don’t want to dis on the women or men because I don’t even know half of them; but all I could think looking at the pics and outfits was… “WTF??”
        “Red carpet” events have always struck me as the Vapid preening about for pictures by the only people who see to care what these yahoos are wearing: the Press.
        IOW, it’s a giant circle-jerk by two groups of self-important narcissists. Does anyone genuinely care about any of this??
        Oh, and my wife looks only 1000 times better when she wakes up and throws on sweatpants.

        I gotta get some sleep. I’m in Phoenix for business and it was 106 when the plane landed at 6:30 PM. Man, I am glad we got away from the heat.
        Nice job, Yusef!

  25. Tres Cool

    They really need to stop giving me nights off. I passed out on the ChlamydiaCouch® and my back is killing me.

    • Tres Cool

      Its like Hotel California with politicians- they cant ever leave.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      That’s an awfully full wall of text to call someone a sack of shit but I concur with the gist.

  26. Sean

    One number. That’s all I matched on my Powerball ticket. Well, one number twice, on two different lines.

    ?

    Guess I’m going to work today.

    • Tres Cool

      Teachers dont want to go to work. I was married to one- I know.

  27. Tres Cool

    suh’ fam

    Ive been up all night since they were stupid enough to give me a day off…its White Castle for supper/breakfast. Im also drunk AF

    yo whats goody yo

    • Gender Traitor

      Good morning, homey!

      Little black kitty jumped up on my lap while I was on the toilet, as usual. He needed his nose wiped, so I twisted around to get a tissue, and he accidentally slipped off. grasping with claws all the way. Luckily, we keep a wide variety of adhesive bandages on hand.

      • rhywun

        LOL, horrifying.

        I hope your bathroom has a door.

      • Gender Traitor

        Yes, but if I don’t make a point of latching it, he can push it open. ?‍?

      • Festus

        Yowtch! I call the grey one “Bitey”! If you ignore him he will bite your (my) elbow. Not spoiled. Not spoiled at all.

  28. robodruid

    Good Morning All:
    Yusef: That was a very enjoyable read. Thank you.
    I would like to know more…..

  29. Festus

    Mornin’ Glibbies! Late again to the party because we have a contractor in and apparently it falls to me to clean up after them. What cluster-fuck of garter snakes did i miss in the comments?

  30. Ghostpatzer

    Mornin’ all. For some reason I decided to use one of my “Mental Wellness” days off to take a nostalgia tour of Gotham, a place I haven’t visited in 18 months. Some observations:

    – About 40% masked outdoors.
    – Nearly 100% masked indoors. However, on my return trip two interesting things happened. First, as I was about to board a train at Canal St. I realized that I had just walked through the station sans mask and nobody batted an eyelash. And in the bus terminal everyone was masked until they reached the boarding gate, at which point off came the masks (mostly).

    At the WTC memorial I was approached by a tourist, old guy wearing a U of Michigan hat, asking if the pool we were standing by was for the north or south tower. We started talking, and it turns out he was royally pissed that he could not get to the memorial on Saturday due to the security. Old guy, he must have some quaint idea of freedom.

    One more thing. The City Hall complex includes a lovely park south of the building itself. Apparently there is now some concern about the safety of our overlords; the entire park is gated shut, not a soul to be found there. Say what you want about New Yorkers, they seem to have put some fear into DeBlasio and company.

    • Festus

      “The Peasants are Revolting!” Wizard of Id.

    • waffles

      I love stories like this. Sounds like a good trip. I live within commuter bus distance of the city but haven’t been in forever.

    • rhywun

      I just came in from my morning walk (Bay Ridge) and outdoor masking is way up again among the youth and white collar set. The blue collar set that are more numerous in the afternoons and evenings are mostly over it.

  31. Ghostpatzer

    Hats off to Yusef, I am really enjoying this series. GT, I feel your pain. I once had a kitty who had a penchant for similar “accidents”.

  32. Ghostpatzer

    Why I am planning to leave NJ, reason 2648.

    https://www.nj.com/opinion/2021/09/bidens-vaccine-mandate-is-good-for-business-editorial.html

    “The head of New Jersey’s Chamber of Commerce, Tom Bracken, lauded Biden’s policy on Monday. “I applaud him for that,” he said. “I think enhancing the pace of vaccinations is very good for the citizens of New Jersey and the business community of New Jersey.””

    /headdesk

    • rhywun

      They are going to hold on to this panacea like grim death until it becomes obvious what a sham it is. The only question is how many businesses and lives they can ruin along the way.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      The COC and they businesses they represent are being held hostage to agree with the policy. Who knows what they really think even when they purport to agree.

      • Ghostpatzer

        This x100. How many workers do they have to lose before they wake up?

      • Sean

        10-25%, judging from recent news articles.

    • Sean

      It’s never the wrong time to GTFO of NJ.