it's the churches and mosques that are going to end up being the problem and that are going to need to get shut down by force, not the concerts and bars.

we're stupid.

it's that simple.

what they're doing is scapegoating young people, with irreligious lifestyles. it's bizarre.

it's like something they'd do in iran. 

it's like public shaming. 

i've got my hands full. i hope that a few bars around town stay open in protest, and i hope there are civil rights groups pushing back on the fines.

if i had a bar, i'd stay open, get fined and take the government to court over it.

if they were logical, the very first thing they would have done was put a total ban on all religious gatherings, period. that's where this is living.

but, they shut down the bars, full of healthy young people, instead.

because they're stupid.

'cause you know where all the lonely people (where do they all come from?) are going right now, don't you?

i shouldn't complain. good riddance to them. maybe this is the final nail in the coffin of the church, so to speak.

enjoy your diseased wafers; your magic water won't save you.

they should shut down every church, chapel, mosque, temple and synagogue in the country under the threat of heavy fines, until further notice.

listen, i can make you a promise.

i've got 90% of a 26er of vodka in my cupboard, and i won't touch until the bars open. i won't smoke, either.

you can be pretty sure i'll be pretty straight edge for as long as this goes on, because i hate being fucked up alone, and i only really enjoy marijuana in the presence of live music. if i get back to work soon, i'll be recording, and i am pristinely sober, then.

but, i really don't want to miss a 4/20 weekend that includes squarepusher and rachmaninov. that was fucking amazing.

again: if they wanted to cancel something, they should have canceled religious services. that's what happened in south korea, it was a church at the centre of the outbreak. that would have actually made sense...

but, we live in a supremely backwards culture that blames alcohol (a mild disinfectant) and provides exceptions for organized religion (the root of the problem).

we are, collectively, incredibly stupid.

and, we're about to pay for it....

yeah, i'm pissed off.

there's no logic underlying this, at all.

it's just panic-stricken, hysterical backwardsness.

welcome to the fucking third world, guys. it's here.

sorry. i meant to say...

let's just hope they fucking die fast so we can get on with this.

you have to have faith in something, right?

shutting down bars will have no effect.

let's just they fucking die fast so we can get on with this.

bizarrely, somebody seems to have come in here and stolen documents that were sent to me from the divisional court.

i know exactly where i put them.

as mentioned: i don't understand what they're looking for. that's a clue, at least.

i'm going to have to file a complaint against the judge, next.

it is deeply disappointing to see this government abandon science in favour of an embrace of mass panic and backwards thinking. we were doing well on this. really.

but, we should expect this terrible decision to be followed by an increase in cases, as people seek ways around the restrictions, and evade the authorities in doing so.

when will we learn that banning things never works, but always makes things worse?

when will we learn that authoritative action and strong leadership is always ham-fisted, and always backfires?

when will we learn to stop buying into panic and listen to the science?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cbsa-border-airports-screening-trudeau-covid19-coronavirus-1.5498866

i want the next "coronavirus myths busted" article that google tries to force me to read to include "flattening the curve", travel bans and "social distancing" as debunked concepts that won't work.

every moment spent distracting from the need to ramp up hospital capacity is a lost opportunity. and, when all of these hokey attempts at containment fail, these public officials are going to have to take responsibility for their refusal to properly look at the evidence and prepare when they had the chance.

and every moment spent talking about solidarity and sticking together is a moment distracting from the need to look at specific types of patients, and create policies that are properly targeted at the people that require them.

but, you can't convert a population of scientific illiterates on such short notice. and, ignorance and bad policy is likely to be the norm, moving forwards.

i'm not suggesting that canada is immune to anything.

i'm pointing out that, because we didn't restrict travel, and we offer easy access to free medical care, we probably have many fewer untraceable cases.

they are saying that there is some local transmission happening.

but, there is not currently any evidence of the kinds of things that are happening in the united states.

so, washington state and new york state just put a ban on congregating in bars. i need to present my own backlash - this is the kind of conservative scapegoating that makes me mad. no, boomers, the kids drinking at the bar didn't infect the people at the old folks home. this is a low impact, evidence-free step that makes conservatives feel safe, and has unfortunately become the norm as to how the democratic party acts and legislates, from outlandish conspiracy theories about russian election interference to anti-science, authoritarian reactions to pandemics.

but, is that going to work? no.

i would simply expect an increase in the number of house parties, or perhaps some gatherings in outdoor spaces. and, if the cops want to show up and shut them down, i'm actually in solidarity with the drinkers - because there's not any actual science underlying the dictate that they go home. it's panic. it's hysteria. it's control. and, it will backfire.

if people start drinking at houses or underground venues instead, they're going to end up drinking higher potency alcohol. nobody is going to refuse them service. and, they might end up driving home in situations where bartenders would have insisted otherwise. you're also likely to end up with people in closer contacts, people smoking indoors, people congregating in dirty basements and other various behaviours that will increase the spread of the virus, not decrease it.

you're releasing a string of expletives at the screen. you're shocked. why won't they stay home?

you're angry. but, there's no science underlying your anger - it's irrational panic that's been pushed down to you by the media.

so, how do you stop young people from socializing?

lol.

there is a long history in this world of governments fucking things up with boneheaded authoritarian responses that make things worse via micromanagement. 

and, there's usually a smart analyst around that explains why they're morons.

shows are indeed cancelling in michigan, but i had cleared out the month, anyways. i'm not missing anything. worse, i may find myself with an uncrossable border within a few weeks and find myself without any choice but to stay in. 

but, a large percentage of the cancelled shows are just moving to underground venues. and, i'll keep an eye out for that, as it happens.

i like house shows. they're cheaper...