patrick.net

richwicks says

However, this is a public site, so if I were to post what would be CLEARLY illegal content, I could be identified and found by either Patrick or by authorities looking at meta data.

All I know about people, aside from those I've met personally, is the email address they used to register and the IP address requests come from. If you were to use a throwaway email and a VPN, I think it would be very hard to identify you. Still could be possible from word frequency and phrasing though, which is how the Unibomber was identified.

https://lc.org/Site%20Images/Resources/ReligiousBeliefs.pdf

This is actually a very good video on this:
https://youtu.be/P016NigOT9k

Patrick says

richwicks says

However, this is a public site, so if I were to post what would be CLEARLY illegal content, I could be identified and found by either Patrick or by authorities looking at meta data.

All I know about people, aside from those I've met personally, is the email address the used to register and the IP address requests come from. If you were to use a throwaway email and a VPN, I think it would be very hard to identify you.

The VPN would likely co-operate with authorities given enough pressure and so would you especially if you felt a moral obligation to co-operate. Protonmail isn't secure, for example.

What I'm saying is that as a result of censorship, it won't be POSSIBLE to co-operate with authorities.

You remember USENet? Imagine it being done on top of a P2P protocol? Do you remember Rot-13 - that was to prevent people from reading something that MIGHT not be suitable for work, so it was just scrambled so it was optional you could read it. Today, it would be just as easy to encode a message with AES256 + DES with 2 separate keys, and make it entirely unbreakable except for a single recipient on a public forum.

Haven't you ever wondered why email isn't encrypted by default at companies? They ought to be, but they aren't. It's trivial to do, but it's not done. When I send an email, it can be read by not just the company that hosts it, but anybody that passes it along.

Here is the religious exemption letter I got. We will see if it works. Hope it can help anyone else out as well:

I am writing on behalf of our member, ___ of ____, regarding
his religious conviction against forced vaccines.

We do not wish to be labeled as anti-vaccine or anti-science, however, the well-
documented process of vaccines developed from animal and aborted human fetal tissue
has compelled us to stand by our congregants who refuse to comply with mandatory
vaccinations.

We strongly support their deeply held Biblical conviction as a believer in, and follower of
Jesus Christ and any of our congregants to resist the pressure for vaccinations, while at
the same time seeking an alternative for their safety and the safety of others.

We are convinced that the nature of many other contaminants within vaccines should be a
reason to grant exemptions to believers whose bodies are, as the Scripture states, the
“temple of the Lord.”

• 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 - “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple
and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God
will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that
temple.”

• 2 Corinthians 7:1 - “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us
purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting
holiness out of reverence for God.”

We must follow the Word of God and we also exhort others to a conscientious objection
to these vaccines. Yet, our deep love and care for others makes us more determined to
exercise whatever alternatives possible to ensure others' safety in each individual case.
We thank you for granting this religious exemption and as such respecting religious
freedom.

Sincerely,
Pastor _______

As far as I can tell, at work, the government is coming down pretty hard on it's own employees and military people. Meaning that your immediate supervisor is going to be looking at your documentation, or at least checking off that you have elected to submit an exemption. The exemption process so far hasn't been implemented, and nobody knows how that is even going to work, so that is the reason they haven't given any details on that yet. I expect that to take quite some time, since the government does nothing quickly. There is also going to be "re-education sessions" for people who don't comply, and presumably will be fired at some point (at least that's what they are saying). With respect to contractors, as far as I can tell, it's strictly up to your actual employer. Now I might be just guessing here, but your immediate contractor employer actually has a financial self interest in being lax, since if they can't place you in a position, some other contractor will. Some job ads are specifying that you need to have a clot shot card, but it's unclear how hard they are going to look at your potato quality image of the card that you are going to give them. My employer hasn't asked me for one yet.

zzyzzx says

With respect to contractors, as far as I can tell, it's strictly up to your actual employer. Now I might be just guessing here, but your immediate contractor employer actually has a financial self interest in being lax, since if they can't place you in a position, some other contractor will.

My contractor doesn't seem to care and thinks it's all a joke. The prime on the contract required a religious exemption on file which is what I submitted.

Latest update: Job still going through. Clearance being processed now. I'm guessing another 6-8 weeks till start date.

joshuatrio says

Latest update: Job still going through. Clearance being processed now. I'm guessing another 6-8 weeks till start date.

At what point are you going to turn the job down?

Patrick says

I think a religious exemption is a bit dishonest if you don't really believe it.

The thing is that it is your beliefs that vaccine is immoral? There is no clause that says it has to be major religion, as long as you believe your shoes talk to you it's good enough. So it is honest in a sense that your beliefs are your own religion. That's how a lawyer explained it to me.
Because some Christians are fine with vaccines, others are not... so it's not universal. Everyone has varying set of circumstances.

joshuatrio says

Clearance being processed now.

Security clearance? GOVERNMENT security clearance?

Look, you're licking a boot when you get paid by our fucking government. I swore I'd end up on the streets before I ever became part of that mafia 30 years ago.

WineHorror1 says

joshuatrio says

Latest update: Job still going through. Clearance being processed now. I'm guessing another 6-8 weeks till start date.

At what point are you going to turn the job down?

Not sure. I want to ride it out to the end of the hiring process at the least. I may work it for a couple months for some side cash.

If it's a cake job, and an easy check (where I'm not tied to the desk) then so be it. If it's a pressure cooker, I'll quit first week.

richwicks says

joshuatrio says

Clearance being processed now.

Security clearance? GOVERNMENT security clearance?

Look, you're licking a boot when you get paid by our fucking government. I swore I'd end up on the streets before I ever became part of that mafia 30 years ago.

Totally agree.

joshuatrio says

I may work it for a couple months for some side cash.

Are you a big time developer? Full stack yadda yadda (I don't mean that in a smart ass way)? If so, why not find a small company that you can help take to the next level? I have such a company. Hint hint.

WineHorror1 says

joshuatrio says

I may work it for a couple months for some side cash.

Are you a big time developer? Full stack yadda yadda (I don't mean that in a smart ass way)? If so, why not find a small company that you can help take to the next level? I have such a company. Hint hint.

Wish I were a developer. I'm on the network/cyber engineering side.

FortWayneAsNancyPelosiHaircut says

Patrick says

I think a religious exemption is a bit dishonest if you don't really believe it.

The thing is that it is your beliefs that vaccine is immoral? There is no clause that says it has to be major religion, as long as you believe your shoes talk to you it's good enough. So it is honest in a sense that your beliefs are your own religion. That's how a lawyer explained it to me.
Because some Christians are fine with vaccines, others are not... so it's not universal. Everyone has varying set of circumstances.

Right. I listened to a presentation by Christina Hildebrand from https://avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/ because I'm trying to help a relative with this, and took these notes:

Before you start, you need a plan B if the exemption is rejected.
You could send a notice of liability to the school, wait 10 days, file for lawsuit... but that takes time.
You can't file for unemployment if you didn't follow company policy.
Doctors are witch-hunted for their issuance of medical exemptions.
There is no definition of religion, so you don't have to adhere to traditional religion.
Don't put science in your exemption because they will argue that.
challenges to you:
Consistency
Your beliefs do not have to be express tenets of your religion.
CA law: belief must have some religious foundation, not veganism, not just a philosophy.
It's ok for your belief to have developed over time.
Your belief does have to have an overarching place in your life.
religious belief in CA:
must be belief that is sincere and meaningful, parallel to that filled by orthodox belief in god
more than philosophy or moral, the golden rule is not enough; has to come from HIGHER POWER or scripture
religion addresses fundamental and ultimate questions having to do with deep and imponderable matters
religion must be comprehensive system, not just a single teaching
religion can be recognized by presence of certain formal and external signs
must be your own truth, do not use internet templates because they will look for that
Write a letter to yourself already so it's in your brain.
For accomodations, leave it open-ended: "I'm willing to participate in whatever other public health measures are required of me".
The SEIU sent a cease and desist to newsom.
write
who do i believe in
what is your religious background? raise, explored, changed beliefs? X changed my beliefs, proved evil in the world.
what do i do every day, week, etc to be religious: pray, meditate, alter at home, statues, holidays
how does getting the shot go against my beliefs? are there texts you live by religously
ask that letter be kept confidential
They might ask:
"How long have you had this belief?"
"When was the last time you had a vaccine?"
"Why is it ok for your higher power to say yes to older vaxxes but not this one?"
examples:
life threatening vs life savings
injections vs oral
christian scientists believe in prayer
it is my sincere religious belief that god does not want me to alter my body
The important point is the explanation behind it.
There are saliva tests available from stores.
Again, DO NOT put science or EUA or vaers in exemption.
Remember that the person you're aiming at is pro-vaxx and anti-religion; "mark of the beast" is polarizing
and the people reading it will feel personally attacked.
where do you draw your line and why is this vaxx not ok?
could be that it's DNA
Liberty Counsel has aborted fetal cells document.
use religious rather than "spiritual" or "conscience"
J&J is produced with fetal cells, other mRNA vaxxes test on fetal cell lines.
1 corinthians 6:19 "body is a temple"
"it is not the heathly people who need a doctor but one who is sick"
use "my religious belief" instead of "my personal belief"
"The vaccine is against my religious beliefs because..."
submit, appeal, complaint to EEOC, and only then lawyer
"I asked, and god spoke to me and said that this vaccine is a violation of His will"

FortWayneAsNancyPelosiHaircut says

Patrick says

I think a religious exemption is a bit dishonest if you don't really believe it.

The thing is that it is your beliefs that vaccine is immoral? There is no clause that says it has to be major religion, as long as you believe your shoes talk to you it's good enough.

I think it's cowardly. The vaccines don't seem to have any efficacy. They do not prevent you from getting the disease, they don't prevent you from spreading the disease, the only claim is that it supposedly reduces symptoms. This means there's no public health benefit to taking the vaccination, only a personal benefit to you.

So what is the logic of somebody trying to force you to take the vaccine? If they cannot answer that, question if you want to continue to work for such a stupid, cowardly, employer.

richwicks says

So what is the logic of a mandate?

Exactly. The only logic seems to be profit for Pfizer and more power for government.

Hopefully it's no more sinister than that, though it's already pretty damn sinister.

Half of the population is insane, and will let themselves be jabbed to death if Pfauci says so. And he does say so.

Patrick says

Half of the population is insane, and will let themselves be jabbed to death if Pfauci says so. And he does say so.

At this point given the level of abuse that's been levied against people trying to warn the lemmings, I say let them do what they want to do or are told to do - same thing.

What mandate?

https://patrick.net/post/1342543/2021-11-17-osha-suspends-enforcement-of-covid-19-v

richwicks says

At this point given the level of abuse that's been levied against people trying to warn the lemmings, I say let them do what they want to do or are told to do - same thing.

Except those lemmings have forced college students like my daughter to get the jab.

America - FUCK YEAH!

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/582022-osha-suspends-enforcement-of-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-for-businesses

The court said OSHA should “take no steps to implement or enforce the mandate until further court order.”

The case originated when Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), along with the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Utah and South Carolina, filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate in October, requesting a preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to stop the mandate from being enforced. The lawsuit also asked that the mandate be declared unlawful.

Earlier this month, the federal appeals court ordered a temporary halt on the mandate, but the Department of Justice then requested that the halt be lifted, contending that the administration has the legal authority to require COVID-19 vaccines or testing for larger companies and that the states that are challenging the mandate have not shown that their claims outweigh the harm of stopping of rule.

The court, however, upheld the stay, which prompted OSHA’s announcement that it is suspending enforcement of the rule.

More than two dozen state attorneys general and other groups are also challenging the mandate in court.

Despite the court’s ruling, however, the White House urged businesses to continue implementing the guidance for COVID-19 vaccines and testing.

“We think people should not wait. We say: Do not wait to take actions that will keep your workplace safe. It is important and critical to do and waiting to get more people vaccinated will lead to more outbreaks and sickness,” White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters last week following the ruling.

Bidet et al are the Kim Jong Il's opposing freedom.

We need an updated "Dicks, Pussies, and Assholes" rallying speech right now. (Yess, Gary, Yeesss . . .)

I don't think that the OSHA thing has anything to do with military / federal employees / federal contractors.

stereotomy says

Bidet et al are the

If I could make a suggestion. This kind of language is pleasant only to people who already agree with the sentiment, and not close to all of those. I absolutely HATED Trump, but I take politics seriously, therefore as soon as someone would write Drumpf I'd usually immediately skip to the next post or article or whatever. It's a clear indicator that the person is persuading using appeal to emotion, not to facts and reason, even when facts and reason are noticeably sprinkled in.

I also really dislike Biden for the record. He's kind of like the Democrats' version of George W. Bush; someone so far out of their depth the fish have lights on their noses, who failed upward into incredible power not on personal merit, guile, or luck; but by the conniving of behind the scenes powerheads. Unlike George W, I can't say I've ever met a Democrat in person who is enthusiastic in any way about him or his administration. Once the "At least Trump's gone!" died down, Democrats talk about this legislation or that current event and its political implications, but it's never Biden's legislation or Biden's doings or ideas, and nobody going out of their way to sing his praises in any way. Like a milder form of Learned Helplessness, it seems a mood of Don't Giveafuckness has formed in relation to Biden himself among rank and file Democrats I know.

Automan Empire says

I also really dislike Biden for the record. He's kind of like the Democrats' version of George W. Bush

Not a fan of George Bush the elder or the MLB franchise owner, but at least W was not senile and probably is a fun guy to drink a beer with. Bidet isn’t fun in any way, he is an ugly combination of arrogance, entitlement, whining, and sleazy corruption that literally makes him the least popular “President “ in my lifetime.

Booger says

I don't think that the OSHA thing has anything to do with military / federal employees / federal contractors.

It's a great development, but the experienced/jaded/cynical chunk of me thinks it's all part of a well planned and orchestrated dance, where the defacto only 2 political parties serve the Oligarch class by taking turns imposing rules/restrictions that even remotely and often with a lot of creative interpretation appeal to their userbase, then the oligarchs "let" the "other" side win a "victory" of getting it scaled back, though almost never to the same as it was in the first place, always in the direction of Oligarchs' favor. The mandate in this case was the push, getting the OSHA mandate walks back part of the Federal mandate AFTER it resulted in huge numbers of OSHA-domain employees "having" to get vaccinated. However, the personnel under the purview of the executive order but NOT OSHA (like military, government employees) are still stuck with it, so in the end the Oligarch class got most of what it wanted this time out.

The "Southern border problem" is another example of a chronic pseudo-balance-of-powers theater for the voting, working, and taxpaying masses, that is actually running exactly to Oligarch plan.

"The Right" and Oligarch level business interests get endless cheap exploitable labor. Right politicians have a polarizing voter and donation magnet in protecting existing Americans' jobs and high wages and plying nationalist/ethnonationalist and patriotic sentiments among their rank and file voters and rubes. They get security theater and porn like an extremely expensive plum wall building project to dole out to nepots and kicker-backers, a tangible symbol of their party's progress and effectiveness despite being easily breached in minutes using the cheapest knock off cordless sawzall.

"The Left" and oligarch level business interests get a bona-fide exploited underclass for leftist ideologues to take a prestigious role "protecting." Left politicians have a polarizing voter and donation magnet in "Protecting the underclass from exploitation" and plying the inclusive and humanitarian sentiments among their rank and file voters and rubes. They get mostly humanitarian theater, with some bona-fide pushback on the ruthlessness of laissez-faire capitalism operating outside of unions AND labor laws. They get aid money here and relief money there to dish out, a tangible symbol of their party's progress and effectiveness despite essentially "maintaining the alcoholic just above his rock bottom, forever" by playing their part in the system that in the long term still doesn't do jack fucking shit to improve the station of their "victims" high enough to not need their help any longer.

In the big picture, the EO --> rather late OSHA "victory" and never ending anti-immigrant push-pull between right and left are working to plan. And, the PLAN is to serve the interests of oligarchs, not those of rank and file Republicans or Democrats. This is a red pill. You are seeing the workings of a system going to plan, giving the ILLUSION of Democracy and choice, but this system and its machinations is really just busy serving oligarchs.

Patrick says

"I asked, and god spoke to me and said that this vaccine is a violation of His will"

THAT'S the one I'm going to use.

richwicks says

question if you want to continue to work for such a stupid, cowardly, employer.

But not out loud until you are ready to leave. Try to reason with them first.

Automan Empire says

I also really dislike Biden for the record.

Did you vote for him? Or against Trump? For the record.

I mostly voted against Biden when I voted for Trump.

Onvacation says

Did you vote for him? Or against Trump? For the record.

I mostly voted against Biden when I voted for Trump.

Not expecting a cogent answer

Looks like they finally getting around to annoying us contractors. We have to fill out a form and send one copy to our company, and keep another copy of it on us at all times while on the job. The form is easy enough to fill out.

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/u.s.-judge-blocks-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-for-federal-contractors?source=patrick.net

U.S. judge blocks COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors

A federal judge in Georgia issued a nationwide injunction that prevents the U.S. government from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on federal contractors, temporarily shutting down the last remaining vaccine requirement by the Biden administration.

Onvacation says

richwicks says

question if you want to continue to work for such a stupid, cowardly, employer.

But not out loud until you are ready to leave. Try to reason with them first.

I mean ask yourself that.

I'm rather disgusted by, well, humanity at this point. I didn't realize what a bunch of fucking go-along-to-get-along assholes there were. I used to think they were in the MINORITY, especially here.

I just left my company party. I wore a T-shirt with these on the front and back....

https://www.axios.com/federal-judge-biden-contractor-mandate-08fc2e3f-c467-43ed-b288-8432ce617344.html?source=patrick.net

Federal judge temporarily blocks Biden vaccine mandate for federal contractors

Mask mandate back at the federal agency I work at. 100% of the time indoors. Time to look for another job.

zzyzzx says

Mask mandate back at the federal agency I work at. 100% of the time indoors. Time to look for another job.

Cash money man. Find a doc, walk into their office with the cash and get them to write up something that says you have an ailment where a mask would hurt your health. There are more fly by night docs than you'd imagine. You're in Maryland I thought, so it should be easy in that area. If you don't like your job whatever, but I'd look into it if you do. I also like people that fight back. Not saying you don't/wouldn't, but this is a perfect opportunity.

Update: looks like my start date is mid January.

All clearance and background stuff went through. Employer accepted my religious exemption but said I could be fired in a month or two if it is legal via Biden.

https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/contractors/?source=patrick.net

The Government will take no action to enforce the clause implementing requirements of Executive Order 14042, absent further written notice from the agency,

So I walked from the job two days before I was supposed to start. The whole thing was a game of chicken. I won.

They were pissed but I don't really give AF.

The fed govt will continue to hurt if people walk over this bullshit.

HunterTits says

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/newsom-breed-garcetti-rams-49ers-game-maskless-california-mandate?source=patrick.net

Gross. If hiv positive Magic Johnson is ok being massless around a bunch of strangers, the wheels are off the cart.

Assholes Gruesome and Garbagecetti need to end any and all Covid restrictions and it needs to be done today.

FuckTheMainstreamMedia says

Assholes Gruesome and Garbagecetti need to end any and all Covid restrictions and it needs to be done today.

Why was the SF mayor there? They have their own team. I'm sure SF didn't pay anything for security or transportation to get there...

I don't deal with the mask issue as much you y'all out in CA. I'd just print a passport sized book with photos of all these clowns not wearing masks in spaces they were "supposed" to. Someone hassles you, you pull it out and tell them to go after those guys. The guys that made the rules broke them before you saw me without a mask. If "leaders" aren't following rules THEY made, why do I have to? Then make the last page blank besides a headline of CA Mask Law and nothing else. In almost every case there is no law on the books and therefore mask mandates are not enforceable.

You could probably take that job now. Mandate is gone, at least for now.